Pokemon: Ash's Dream
by STORYmaker2
Summary: Years have passed since Ash competed in the Indigo League. Now an adult, Ash struggles to achieve his life's ambition to become a pokemon master. Making hard choices in a demanding city, Ash must fight to see his dream realized. But along the way, he finds something or rather someone he wasn't expecting. Contains Amourshipping.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Trainer's Dream

* * *

The sun slowly rose over Saffron City. Its orange light slowly trickled over the bay at the city's southern edge. The light shined over a bridge extending across the bay to the city's portion across the water.

The streets inside Saffron City slowly awoke with them. Flocks of Pidgey and Spearow flew past the countless buildings and wild Meowth roaming the various back alleys with Grimer.

One apartment building rested on the city's west side. The building was grey and shaped almost like a square U with ten floors of apartments accessed from outdoor paths.

Just in front of the building was an elevated train track.

Inside one of the apartments, a Pikachu slept at the foot of a twin-sized bed. The Pikachu slept soundly until the room shook a little.

A train zoomed by and brought the tedious sounds that came with it. The Pikachu awoke with a weary expression and looked out the window with some annoyance at the metal machine as it raced past his home.

"Pika." The electric-mouse sighed.

Pikachu had always found it difficult falling back asleep after he was woken up. Pikachu felt movement under him and quickly looked at the young man who's legs Pikachu rested on.

To his, relief, the young-man only moved slightly and was still asleep. His face was half-buried in the pillow and his arms stretched out with one almost dangling over the bed's edge.

Pikachu laid his head back down and lingered in his position. Unable to fall back asleep. Fifteen minutes later, the silence was once again broken, this time by the chirping of an alarm clock on the nightstand beside the bed.

The young man's right hand slammed the nightstand in a desperate attempt to find and silence the alarm. Finally, it found its mark and ended the alarm.

After this, the young man was still for a moment before Pikachu heard a tense groan escape him.

His eyes slowly opened and revealed their brown color. With a deep breath, the young man sat up and moved some of his thick raven-black hair out from his exhausted face.

He glanced at the rising sun through his apartment window with slightly squinted eyes due to the light reaching his face.

Finally, with another weary breath, he rose from the bed and stretched his arms. Pikachu waited until the young man adjust his back with a satisfying crack-sound before he jumped onto his shoulder.

"Come on Ash, we have to get going." He said to himself while stroking the side of Pikachu's head, much to the pokemon's approval.

Ash walked inside his bathroom, which was barely a step above small. A grey-tiled floor was littered with bits of unswept pokemon fur around the edges and on the bathtub's edge.

The counter and sink showed visible areas of dried toothpaste, old watermarks, and shaving creme insufficiently cleaned with simple water.

Ash looked at himself in the mirror. He was twenty-three years old and stood just over five-foot ten-inches. His thick raven-black hair came out in a spikey and almost messy fashion. Ash's body was mostly lean muscle. From his upper body to the legs. He wasn't bulking by any means but the body mass there was efficient muscle.

His skin had a slight tan to it and bore signs of old physical trauma. Pikachu and Ash both gazed at healed bruises and abrasions across his abdomen, chest, and arms. Ash did his best to ignore these as he opened a drawer and pulled out a toothbrush.

After finishing with his teeth, Ash reached for his razor and shaving cream. The young man felt the blades on his razor and reached for the box only to see it was empty.

Not a moment later, when Ash shook the can he felt it was similarly nearing empty.

He gave another tired sigh before spraying out the meager remains onto his face before carefully dragging the razor over it. Pikachu could see the slight irritation it caused Ash from the smaller quantity of shaving cream. The electric mouse gave a worried look for his trainer, particularly when he saw the crude markings on his face from the dull blades.

However, Ash finished none the less began to clear his face of any remaining cream.

Once finished, Ash went back to the bedroom and walked past a dusty-dresser where six pokeballs rested beside a few pictures.

In front of the closet were two piles of clothes, one that rested in a clothes hamper, the other on top of a duffle bag.

Ash grabbed a pair of black gym-shorts from the duffle-bag pile and put them on.

He slowly walked into his apartment's living room. The room itself was relatively small with a wooden floor, two messy rugs, and a shaggy couch. All of which had visible collections of pokemon fur and other fragments.

Besides the couch, rested a few bed-like cushions designed for pokemon/ A few of them having some tears in the fabric.

Ash hung up a large laundry bag filled with old pillows, towels, and rags up by some ropes.

With the makeshift punching bag up, Ash placed weighted gloves over his hands.

He stared at the punching bag for a few moments while breathing deeply.

Finally, Ash struck the bag with a fierce punch. Pikachu watched as his partner sparred against the bag with growing intensity.

Sweat trickled down his body each minute. It wasn't just his fists that hit the bag either. Ash threw his elbows and feet into the bag with just as much ferocity.

Pikachu's face grew with concern as he watched Ash's face turn more intense with each passing moment.

The electric pokemon's discomfort became nearly unbearable until finally, an hour had passed. The young man had become drenched in sweat as if he had been swimming.

Ash desperately tried to catch his breath. The salt from his perspiration seeped into his eyes and burned them.

"Pika!"

Ash looked over and saw Pikachu nudging against a water bottle.

The young man nodded and quickly took a long drink and let out a deep exhale.

Ash removed a rag from the punching bag and wiped off the sweat from his face.

With another sigh, Ash put the punching bag down and went back into his bedroom. Ash placed a support bar under the doorway and pulled himself up before he dangled down by his legs.

For the next half-hour, Ash performed hanging sit-ups.

Once again, Pikachu patiently watched as Ash performed this exercise. Finally, when he finished, Ash stripped off his shorts and boxers before throwing them into the pile of dirty clothes.

Two minutes later, Ash let out an eased breath as he felt the warm water of his shower soak over him. The salty sweat was washed away by the water and every shrinking bar of soap. Ash set the soap down on a small ledge with a residue of old bars of soap still stuck to it.

While this happened, Ash let out a slight smile upon feeling the soft fur of his Pikachu brush against his leg.

"Pika." The electric mouse purred as he rubbed urself against Ash's leg. Being careful not to shock him.

Pikachu shook himself dry for a moment before he felt Ash run a towel over his body.

"Come on, hold still."

"Pika!" Pikachu kept trying to get out with a mischevious smile.

Once Pikachu was dry, Ash began to dry himself with the same towel.

Once finished, Ash hung the towel on its rack and walked back inside the bedroom.

Ash got dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans, and a green hoodie with short gray sleeves.

Ash picked up five of the pokeballs when he noticed the pictures around them.

He gazed almost longingly at the first picture of himself when he was much younger. Pikachu was on his shoulder and two others stood around him. One was a boy older than him with slightly tanner skin, narrower eyes, and spikey-dark brown hair. The other was a girl who looked around Ash's age with paler skin, cerulean eyes, and orange hair. In her arms was a Togepi in her arms.

Another picture showed Ash back at his hometown holding a case of eight badges. Around him were over a dozen Tauros, a Krabby, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Pidgeotto, Charizard, and Muk in a large pen.

One final picture showed Ash as a young child being held in the arms of a grown man. One who looked a slightly older version of Ash than he looked now. Beside the man was a fierce Lucario with red fur instead of blue.

Ash took a deep breath with Pikachu now on his shoulders. Pikachu gave a warm nudge against Ash's head before he took the pokeballs.

Ash's kitchen was only slightly larger than his bathroom. It consisted of a wood floor, a stove/oven, a fake-granite counter-top, a sink, and a dishwasher. The counter was undated and contained tiny bits of food in the corners.

Ash reached into his dishwasher and pulled out an unwashed coffee mug. He filled the mug with water and poured it into his coffee maker without a pot on it.

After starting the coffee maker, Ash reached into his pantry and pulled out a package of instant rice. Ash stared at the generic-brand with a tired expression before he placed it in his microwave and set the timer for two minutes.

Ash walked back to the living area of his apartment where he set down six pokemon food dishes.

Pikachu jumped down in front of one bowl as Ash took out six different bags of pokemon food. Unlike the various generic-brands of food in his pantry, these pokemon food brands appeared more expensive. Each was named "Elite Four's Choice!" and held a picture of one Kanto Elite 4 member on them.

The first bowl, Ash poured food specific for fire type pokemon, in the second specific for water type, flying type, grass type, fighting type, and finally electric type in Pikachu's bowl.

Once this was done, Ash let out those inside the other five pokeballs.

Out of the pokeballs came a large Charizard, a Squirtle, a Staraptor, a Sceptile, and Lucario with red and black fur.

The Charizard was large enough to be almost cramped by the smaller apartment. The Sceptile wasn't much smaller than his fire-type companion.

Each of these pokemon looked at Ash's slightly weary while he held his coffee.

"Good morning everyone." Ash spoke softly but warmly.

Each saw the fatigue in Ash's demeanor and gave cautious expressions.

"Eh, don't wait for me. Go on, dig in. We've got another intense day of training." Ash's spirit rose as he spoke of training and his pokemon began to eat.

Once he heard the microwave go off, Ash removed the rice package and poured the white rice into a bowl. He placed the bowl and two chopsticks on a small wooden table just outside the kitchen.

Steam still rose from the rice while Ash brought two eggs over it and cracked them.

The yoke trickled down through the rice before Ash dipped his chopsticks inside.

The young man, slowly ate while mixing in sips of coffee. All the while his pokemon continued to glance at him with concerned expressions.

"Squir?" Squirtle turned to Pikachu who nodded. The water-starter gave a nervous sweat-drop with Charizard and Sceptile.

Staraptor and Lucario similarly turned to each other.

Eventually, they all joined Pikachu in a distressed look at their trainer. Particularly at a calendar, Ash had on the counter. Various dates were circled, one being that day. Ash glanced at it as well with a hard look but returned to his breakfast.

Once Ash finally finished, he put the dishes away and grabbed his apartment key.

Ash glanced at the calendar with another hard look before noticing his pokemons' expressions.

"Don't look at me like that. I'll be fine, I always am. Come on, we have training to do!" Ash rose his fist up before returning all but Pikachu to their pokeballs.

Pikachu ran to Ash's shoulder where he felt the side of his head stroked.

"Let's go." Ash's renewed optimism put Pikachu at a bit more ease.

* * *

The two walked out of their apartment and onto the exterior path overlooking the city around them.

Ash wasn't the only one leaving though. A few apartments down, he saw a man in a police uniform exit an apartment with a Growlithe beside him.

"Alright, time to go to work Archie." Ash and Pikachu walked down the stairs past the other floors where they saw several more of their neighbors and their pokemon leaving.

Finally, they reached the ground floor and the parking lot. On the ground floor, both noticed a few more figures leave an apartment. One was a middle-aged man with a darker shade of skin than Ash, short black hair and light-blue eyes.

He wore a grey suit and had a Persian beside him. With the man was a boy no older than eleven who looked almost identical to his father. The boy wore a grey hoodie with a red emblem and blue shorts. By his side was a small Scorbunny.

"I'll be back at five, be home by then."

"I will."

"Go right from here to the train station, and then from the station to the training center! No stops in between and no talking to strangers!"

"I know dad."

The man gave a weary sigh while watching his son run off with his pokemon. That was until he noticed Ash who gave him a friendly wave. The man nodded before walking with the Persian to a car.

The boy passed by Ash and nearly pumped into him.

"Whoops, sorry Ash." The young man gave a friendly nod.

"You're fine, Gou. Still haven't started your journey yet?" The boy looked a bit evasive for a moment.

"My uh, dad wanted me to wait until summer ends before we head out. That just gives Scorbunny and I more time to train." The Scorbunny jumped up into Gou's arms.

Ash carefully nodded.

"I guess we'll see you at the training center then. Good luck."

"You too!" Gou rushed off to the train platform across the street while Ash kept a watchful eye on him until he was on the platform.

With another deep breath, Ash began walking down the main street.

The young-man and his Pikachu passed countless others as they traversed through Saffron city.

The bustling noises of the passing cars and trains were mixed with countless voices from other people and the pokemon with them.

Large neon signs and radiant screens decorated numbers of the newer looking buildings. These screens showed various media, from commercials to pokemon contests, new anime, and of course battles.

Ash and Pikachu also kept a close eye on smaller buildings and back alleys. Many of these buildings were defaced by graffiti art. Most of the art displayed large red R's with men in black jumpsuits holding Saffron city in their hands.

Many more police officers seemed to be patrolling the streets lately. The shadier areas in particular.

Ash and Pikachu noticed a crowd had formed around a small convenience store where several officers had gathered.

Two paramedics carried an older man and a Mankey away on two stretchers while a shaken woman spoke with the lead investigator. Another middle-aged man with dark black hair, a black scruff of facial hair, and a tan detective's coat on.

"What happened here?" Ash cautiously asked.

"Team Rocket robbed their place earlier. The owner and his Mankey were nearly killed."

Ash and Pikachu felt their muscles tighten. The windows of the shop were broken and the wooden baskets smashed.

A large R had been graffitied into the side of the building as well.

"Lieutenant Onishima, please! There must be more you can do!" The woman frantically shouted.

The police investigator gave a tired sigh as he put his notepad away. Beside him was a small Golduck who looked over the scene with two Growlithe.

"Ma'am I understand you're scared and we appreciate all the help you've been. I can assure you we're doing everything we can to put an end to Team Rocket."

The woman gave an irritated grunt.

"All we hear from the police is words, no action."

Onishima gave a long sigh.

Ash eventually continued his truck across Saffron city.

The gentle morning breeze rustled Ash's spiky hair and Pikachu's fur a little.

Ash kept close watch of where he was when Pikachu touched his neck.

"Pika!" He looked over at another large screen Pikachu emphasized. An even larger crowd had gathered before this screen, people and Pokemon alike.

Ash felt his eyes widen when he saw what match was playing.

"Pyramid King Brandon is down to his last pokemon. Thus far he hasn't knocked out a single one of World Champion Daniel Rian's pokemon!"

Brandon's anxious expression and sweat could be seen through the high definition screen. In front of Brandon was a knocked out Regirock.

Across the battlefield stood a man in his mid to late twenties. He was around six feet tall with very dark-brown hair in a military esk haircut. His eyes were a light brownish-yellow and a good physique. His eyes were almost covered by a pair of black aviator sunglasses and wore a silver-colored military-esk jacket that went slightly past his elbows, a gray undershirt and blue pants.

In front of Daniel was a goliath Charizard. The pokemon was almost two and a half times the size of a normal Charizard. His body's buy was covered in immense muscle but the most striking feature was his coloration. This Charizard had onyx-black skin with red wing insides and a red tail flame.

Brandon returned his Regirock and nearly shuttered as he took out an ultra-ball.

"This won't turn out like last time, I have a secret weapon! Go Regigigas!"

Many in the audience around Ash gasped or yelped when they saw the legendary Pokemon emerge in all its glory.

Ash and Pikachu weren't far behind. The fact that Brandon had caught one was unbelievable enough but that he had trained it for a battle like this.

"Regigigas, more than impressive Brandon. You've got us excited again." Daniel's Charizard huffed out some smoke with an eager expression.

"Stone edge!" The Regigigas nearly caused the ground around him to tremble as it punched the ground with its colossal hands. Once it had the rocks, Regigigas ripped the downpour of rocks up at Charizard.

"Dragon claw, Dragon Pulse." Despite his colossal size, Daniel's Charizard flew with the agility of a Pidgeot.

His glowing claws melted away each rock upon impact. Any that didn't get burned up by his claws were turned to dust by the mammoth beam of violet dragon-power that emerged from the Charizard's mouth.

"Confuse Ray!"

Daniel didn't give another command, Charizard simply closed his eyes and endured the confuse ray. He continued forward through the onslaught of stone edge as if nothing had changed.

Ash saw many around him drop their mouths and tremble.

"How does he do that!?"

"The World Champ is on a whole other level!"

Ash and Pikachu watched Daniel's Charizard with intense attention.

"Crush Grip!" Regigigas slammed its monstrous hands around the Charizard. For a brief moment, Brandon felt a sensation of excitement, however, that was soon taken away when he saw Regigigas's hands get pushed back.

The Charizard's wings had turned steel and carried Regigigas's hands further and further away.

Finally, Charizard had his head against Regigigas's chest.

"Blast burn." The Charizard's tail flame erupted into a nearly uncontrollable inferno. The Charizard opened his mouth and released a concussive blast into Regigigas.

At first, it simply coated Regigigas in red fire. But within moments, a fiery explosion erupted around Regigigas and carried him across the battlefield. The intensity of the heat nearly made even those watching on tv sweat.

When the smoke finally cleared, Regigigas was on his back unconscious and covered in soot.

"Regigigas is unable to battle!"

The audience around Ash let loose a near-deafening torrent of shouts and cheers.

"I knew the champ would win it!"

"His Charizard is the most powerful pokemon in the world!"

Ash and Pikachu continued to focus intensely on Daniel as he approached Brandon with his Charizard. The two exchanged a respectful handshake, though Ash could see the look of immense disappointment on Brandon's face.

Ash took a deep breath and reached towards the screen.

"One day."

* * *

The two continued through Saffron city, eventually passing the massive tower of Silph Co before they finally reached their destination.

A colossal building rested only a few blocks from Silph Co. The building was built like a pokemon gym but far grander.

Its walls were white and the roof green. At the front was the Kanto Pokemon League's official symbol beside another symbol.

The symbol was of a red Pokeball with star ends coming out.

Many trainers walked into this building and Ash soon joined them. The interior was incredibly clean and well maintained. White floors with an entry counter and bulletins.

Three employees sat behind the counter with an Eevee and Jolteon sitting with them.

"Don't forget to sign in." One said. Ash and Pikachu got into line and gazed at the pictures on the wall over the counter.

In one picture it showed the Kanto Champion Lance with Mr. Goodshow handing another man a large check.

Another picture showed, Elite Four member Koga handing a check to the same man a check.

Another picture showed the owner of Silph Co doing the same. Another showed Daniel Rian and Cynthia both handing a check to the same man.

This man appeared in a final picture unveiling the center upon its completion. The man was in his mid-forties with a scrawny composer, long brown hair, and green eyes.

Above these pictures were the words, "Malcolm Dohen Trainer Center."

"Ash, Ash you're up." The young woman behind the counter said. Ash and Pikachu both snapped back to attention and quickly signed in.

"Sorry."

Ash walked past the counter and glanced at large electronic screens showing a calendar and upcoming events.

Ash tightened his fist tighten and his heart race when he saw one event.

"KPTL 3rd Quarter prelim." Pikachu shook just as much as Ash did as they stared at the date.

Ash took a deep breath before stroking Pikachu's face.

"We'll make it this time, I know it."

Before continuing, Ash also noticed a new item being shown.

"Kanto Showcase qualifiers. Performers welcome."

"Showcase?" Ash thought, having never heard of such a thing before.

Several minutes later, Ash stood inside a massive chamber at the end of a platform. Five other platforms rested parallel to Ash while another six were across the massive chamber.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried with a fierce smile. The electric mouse pokemon smashed apart incoming rocks with iron tail. Across the training yard were two Graveler and a Golem.

They brought forth a relentless barrage of rocks at Pikachu who continued to dodge or smash each with his tail.

"Move off the rocks now! Short bursts!"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded before he began jumping off the various rocks thrown with Agility.

"Now, Quick Attack!" Pikachu moved like a flash of light across the rocks, using short bursts as Ash instructed until he released everything from the final rock and slammed into the first Graveler, knocking him to the ground.

"Not bad, are you ready for Stone edge?"

Pikachu smiled confidently and nodded.

Another of the employees stood behind the rock pokemon.

"Stone edge!"

The second Graveler and Golem ripped apart the ground to gather their edged fragments. Pikachu meanwhile readied himself for the attack.

"Thunder!'

"Pika chu!" The electric mouse brought down his electrical power in three bolts of lightning. The electricity burst through all of the incoming stones.

"Iron tail!" Pikachu evaded the continued barrage of stone edge with agility until he reached the second Graveler and hammered his face.

The rock-pokemon fell over with a dazed look and left Golem to face Pikachu alone.

"Now for Bulldoze, are you ready!?"

"Chu!"

The Golem huffed before lowering his body and charging forward. His tenacious movements nearly made the ground tremble.

"Pikachu, Return."

Pikachu dashed across the ground. Just like before, Pikachu minimized his time on the ground by jumping from place to place. This enabled him to avoid the tremors caused by Bulldoze until he made contact with Return.

The Golem rolled backward disoriented after being hit by the move and Pikachu panted with an excited smile.

On the sides of the chamber were a series of bleacher like sweets on elevated areas. Several trainers and officials watched the encounters below.

* * *

Later, Ash stood on the edge of a large pool. The pool was cordoned off into sections with Squirtle in one.

The water-turtle evaded varied pointer stingers and jabs from three Tentacruel in the water.

"Skull Bash!"

"Squir!"

Squirtle's iron-like skull plunged the center Tentacruel to the bottom of the pool so hard he nearly bounced off the pool's bottom.

* * *

Ash stood on another platform in the building where his Staraptor flew through a series of moving rings along the ceiling.

Not only did Staraptor fly through the rings he also avoided a series of blows from two Fearow and a Pidgeot.

"Arial Ace!"

* * *

Sceptile held up his arms in a defensive manner against the blades of two Scyther and a Scizor.

The grass pokemon swiftly avoided the various slashes of his opponents while also countering them with his own blows.

"Night Slash!"

* * *

Ash's Charizard slammed his now glowing claws against the jaws of two Arcanine and the arms of a Magmortar.

After forcing both Arcanine back, Charizard snatched the Magmortar in his claws.

"Seismic toss!"

* * *

Lucario held his paws up defensively against the blows of two Machoke and a Machamp.

"Close Combat!"

Almost eight hours had passed since Ash and arrived at the training center. His pokemon all gave exhausted looks as Ash stroked their heads.

"Outstanding work today, all of you." Ash's reassuring look brought a smile to each pokemons' face.

"I know we've struggled here for the last few years. But it hasn't been in vain, we've become so much stronger and more skilled. There's no way we won't make it past this prelim, then the qualifier, then the KPTL!" Ash's radiating optimism spread to his pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu jumped into Ash's arms with Squirtle. Charizard, Sceptile, Staraptor, and Lucario each embraced Ash with a warm grasp.

Ash savored this moment and closed his eyes. He returned all but Pikachu to their pokeballs and walked towards the exit.

As they did, Ash noticed Gou holding his Scorbunny.

"Gou." The boy nearly jumped before he noticed Ash behind him.

"Ohh, Ash. I uh, didn't see you."

"How did your training go?"

Gou and his Scorbunny gave evasive looks.

"It went fine. Right Scorbunny?"

The small fire pokemon gave the same nervous look as his trainer while nodding.

Ash and Pikachu weren't convinced.

"Well, if you're ever having trouble, we're here too."

"I wouldn't want to bother you, I know how hard you and your pokemon work for the KPTL." Gou walked out of the training center.

Ash arrived back at his apartment as the sun started to set.

He once again went to the pantry before taking out a package of instant ramen and placing it in the microwave.

Just as he had in the morning, Ash poured food for his pokemon out of the specific bags.

After a long day of training, each of them was anxious for a nice dinner.

Despite this, they waited patiently for Ash to sit down with his own dinner. Ash carefully let the steam rise from the instant ramen before he noticed the pokemon waiting for him.

"Guy eat." Ash's pokemon still waited until they saw him dip a pair of chopsticks into the bowl of noodles.

Ash slowly ate the ramen and listened to his pokemon enjoy their food much more than he enjoyed his own. Despite this, Ash gave a slight smile when he heard them.

* * *

The next two hours went by far too quickly for Ash's pokemon. Each rested on one of the cushions as they watched Ash stretch and take drinks water.

Their angst was even greater than his own.

As Ash sipped on water, he heard a familiar ringing sound and grit his teeth.

"Oh boy." Ash slowly walked over to his apartment's phone and sat before it as he pressed answer.

"Evening, mom."

"Ash, it's been a week since you called me." She said with impatience over her face.

Ash nervously sweat-dropped.

"Sorry, I've been busy training."

"How has that been going? Are you doing well." Ash nodded.

"We're all fine here. Nothing to worry about."

"Ash, it's been almost three years since you moved out. You could come home for a bit, I'm more than happy to-"

"No! Mom, being here is my best chance to get into the Kanto Professional Trainer's League. It's been my dream since I was a boy to become a pokemon master. This is how I'll do it."

Delia gave a worried look.

"You've been there alone for so long. I-"

"I'm not alone, I have my pokemon, plus Brock is here with Lucy." Ash spoke more defensively, much to the unease of his pokemon.

"….Alright, I just worry about you is all." Ash sighed.

"I know mom. But everything will be ok."

Charizard and Sceptile continued to glance at the clock every few moments after Ash finished his phone call. Finally, it reached nine.

Ash took one final deep breath and picked up the pokeballs.

"I'll be back later." He said quietly. Sceptile and Lucario motioned as if to stop Ash but were put back in their pokeballs before they could do so.

Ash set the pokeballs down and grabbed a duffel bag. As he walked back into the living room, Ash saw Pikachu staring at him with immense fear.

Ash stared back for an eternity of a few moments.

"Pikachu, we've been through this before….I have no choice….You don't have to come-" Pikachu ran up to Ash's shoulder and nudged against him vehemently.

Ash gave another long breath. He shut off his apartment's lights and walked out.

* * *

The sky was not a dark ocean filled with stars. Saffron City itself was illuminated by countless lights across the buildings.

Ash walked down the now far emptier streets past these lights. Ash kept a careful eye on those around them to make sure they weren't being followed.

Eventually, they entered a dark alley and approached a doorway at the end.

Ash knocked twice before a slot opened.

"Who's there?"

"Moltres's feather."

The door opened as a meaty man and pincer stood on the other side with a cigarette in his mouth and a mohawk.

"Hurry up." The bouncer grumbled while Pikachu growled back.

"Easy, Pikachu." Ash said as they walked inside.

Ash led them down a set of stairs. Pikachu felt his heart race as he heard various shouts and cries of pain.

Ash entered a dirty locker room and changed into a pair of gym shorts. Ash also put on two black hand wrappings and a mouth guard in his mouth.

Ash sat in the locker room and stared at the ground with an almost deadpan expression. Pikachu held his trainer's neck closely of each moment before another man entered.

The man wore a pair of black trousers with a white button-up shirt and a white bowtie.

"It's time."

Ash nodded and got up. The three walked through the building's halls and passed a large theater-like room. Inside Ash and Pikachu saw two pokemon fighting. However, this wasn't a regular battle. Alongside unknowledgeable cries from an audience, both pokemon were bloodied and had blade-like claws attached to their paws.

Pikachu held Ash tighter as the young man grit his teeth and tried to look away.

Ash was finally brought into another theater-like room where dozens of elegantly dressed men and women sat at tables. These patrons drank expensive liquor, ate exotic food, and enjoyed cigars/hookahs.

Many sat with well-groomed pokemon beside them.

Their frivolous and self-indulgent expressions sent resentment through Ash's very being while he walked past them.

Both Ash and Pikachu now stared at a very bloodied man who as dragged off a stage like section before the tables.

Another bloodied man wearing just shorts and hand wrappings like Ash.

The fighter was slightly smaller than Ash with shoulder-length black hair and pale skin.

Another man wearing a white button-up and black tie held the fighter's hand up while a portion of the audience let out gratified applause. Many others let out shouts of profanity while ripping up voucher tickets.

"Congratulations to those who had faith in _The Lightning Fist_. Be sure to collect your winnings!"

Ash and Pikachu now saw another fighter being led to the stage across from them. This man was in his late twenties and stood almost half a foot taller than Ash. His body was also much bulkier than Ash's.

His eyes were a deep grey and his hair a bright yellow cut into a mohawk

His skin was the same tone as Ash's and had the same healed abrasion marks. Unlike Ash, his body was decorated with three tattoos. One being a Machamp holding chainsaws, one being a Rhydon holding chainsaws, and a Hitmonchain holding chainsaws.

"I hope your bets are in, our next two fighters are here! We have _Shadow _and _Chainsaw Maniac!"_

Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped as they heard the fighter's name in addition to his tattoos.

"Alright, Pikachu. Stay close to the stage and don't wander off." Ash had to pull Pikachu off his shoulder and set him down.

Pikachu panted heavily in fear for his trainer. Ash tried to keep his nerves settled. _Chainsaw _gave a cocky smile at Ash, emphasizing his larger size while also sliding his tongue through two missing teeth.

The patrons continued to let out lustrous and degenerative shouts.

"That damn kid better win." One belched.

"My money's on the _Chainsaw_."

Ash felt his insides heat up as he heard their jeers and saw their greedy expressions.

The two fighters approached each other and touched fists.

The ref glanced harshly at them both.

"You remember the rules of the fight. No eye-gouging and keep yourselves away from the patrons." He revealed an electric baton in his right hand to further emphasize the point.

"I got it." _Chainsaw_ laughed.

Ash nodded.

The ref stepped backward while Ash and _Chainsaw _did the same.

Pikachu's heart raced faster and faster as he watched the two stare intensely at each other.

"Begin!"

Ash and _Chainsaw _slowly walked toward each other with their hands raised. _Chainsaw _kept a cocky expression while Ash's was more diligent. Finally, _Chainsaw _ended the anticipation and jabbed at Ash twice.

Ash weaved away from both and struck _Chainsaw's _side. The man grunted but didn't lose his stance. He hooked a heavier punch that Ash deflected with his left hand. In another motion _Chainsaw, _brought a side kick toward Ash's side.

The young man caught _Chainsaw's_ leg and plowed his other elbow hard into it.

_Chainsaw's _expression turned ferocious. Pikachu felt his body tremble as he heard a mixture of excited and angry chants from the crowd.

_Chainsaw _threw Ash's arm away and knocked away Ash's jab. Ash's mouth dropped open when he felt the iron impact of _Chainsaw's_ fist into his abdomen.

"Pika." Pikachu grit his teeth while Ash tried to recoil. _Chainsaw _wouldn't let him and crashed his fist into the side of Ash's right arm with a follow up to his side.

Ash's nerves cried out in pain but he endured. _Chainsaw's _next blow was caught by Ash and the younger man quickly moved inside to lock _Chainsaw _in an arm-bar.

_Chainsaw_ growled angrily as Ash held him in place from behind and crashed his foot into _Chainsaw's _leg.

_Chainsaw _furiously threw his second elbow back at Ash to try and his him but to no avail. _Chainsaw _then threw his body back and forced Ash off. Despite this, Ash ducked until his wide punch and hooked _Chainsaw's _head with two successive blows.

_Chainsaw_ growled again. His fists shot up to keep back more of Ash's blows. The younger man backed up a little and weaved from a blow.

The fight continued for several minutes as both fighters became drenched in sweat and covered in bruises. Ash breathed heavily but focused his intensity on _Chainsaw. _He thrust his foot forward but _Chainsaw _was ready.

The feral fighter caught Ash's leg and pulled him to the side. Before Ash could properly get his hands back up, _Chainsaw_ embedded his left fist against Ash's face and knocked some spit out.

"Pika!"

The cheers of the audience grew more intense. Ash bent over when _Chainsaw's _foot crashed into his stomach. Seizing the opportunity, _Chainsaw _pounced onto his opponent and brought him down.

_Chainsaw_ screamed as he relentlessly punched at Ash's head. The younger fighter tried desperately to keep his hands up. Ash's vision grew blurrier and his head throbbed from the successive punches that crashed into him.

Blood trickled down from his mouth and his eyes drifted to Pikachu.

The electric mouse's heart raced like a Rapidash as he cried out for his trainer.

The ref sat idly by while the crowd chanted.

Ash tried to breathe but even that became a challenge. _Chainsaw's_ fury became too much and his hands felt ready to collapse.

But when Ash looked back at Pikachu again, he felt something else. He thought about al their dreams, their hopes, their aspirations. A fire lit in Ash's stomach and his eyes glowed blue for a brief moment.

_Chainsaw_ came down for another punch but Ash was ready. He knocked it away with one hand and thrust his palm forward into _Chainsaw's _face.

_Chainsaw_ almost yelped as he felt the sharp pain break into his face.

Ash's face now became nearly feral as _Chainsaw's _had been. Ash thrust his palm into _Chainsaw's _face again and finally gained the leverage to throw _Chainsaw _off him.

_Chainsaw _reeled and was helpless to stop Ash's knee from impacting his stomach. The audience's emotions seemed to flip as those in frustration shouted in renewed excitement. Not giving _Chainsaw _a moment to recover, Ash brought his foot around and into _Chainsaw's _face.

Blood now spat from _Chainsaw's _nose and mouth. His senses went dizzy and his stance became wobbly.

Ash furiously came in. He easily wrapped his arm around _Chainsaw's_ hook and trapped it.

Now inside his arms, Ash stuck _Chainsaw's _stomach three times. _Chainsaw's _mouth opened wide as he cried out in sheering pain.

_Chainsaw _retreated but Ash's foot thrust forward when the opening presented itself. _Chainsaw _tasted more blood in his mouth from Ash's kick and struggled to stay on his feet.

Ash now screamed like a beast. His fists smashed across _Chainsaw's _face two more times and then struck up with his elbow. The crushing impact sent another of _Chainsaw's _teeth flying. At the same time, _Chainsaw _himself fell over and hit the ground hard.

Ash didn't move forward but the ref still held his electric baton towards him.

The audience continued to jeer and banter while the ref knelt down beside _Chainsaw _and checked his pulse.

"Well, you didn't kill him. I'm calling the fight, _Shadow _ wins!"

Many audience members shouted out disgusting language while tearing up vouchers. The others let out excited chants while kissing their own vouchers.

Pikachu let out a sigh of relief but still watched Ash with great concern. Despite winning, the young man breathed deeply and kept a defensive expression on his face. The looks of the patrons around him made his blood boil further. So much so, Ash nearly shook.

Pikachu ran out onto the stage and jumped into Ash's arms. Ash felt his nerves ease as he Pikachu buried his face into the young man's sweaty chest. He let out a deep breath and relaxed himself.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Ash was back in his hoodie as he and Pikachu stood in an office. Four men waited inside the office. Three stood around Ash with tracksuits and chained necklaces on. One was much larger than the other two.

Behind the desk was a portly man with balding black hair and a scraggly mustache. He wore a very expensive black suit and sucked down on a cigar while placing money into a stack.

"Four-hundred, eighty-seven thousand and height hundred yen for winning. Excellent work out there kid, a lot of people put money on _Chainsaw_, you made me a fortune tonight." The man set a stack of yen down on his desk.

Ash didn't respond, he simply took the money and placed it in his pocket.

His look was cold and distant.

"Hey, Katsu is talking to you punk!" The larger bodyguard grunted as he grabbed Ash's shoulder.

"Easy, Jurou. You know our boy here isn't much of a talker. He's made us plenty of money and we support his little dream. Still trying to get into the KPTL kid?"

Ash didn't respond. Katsu just snorted in amusement.

"It's a fool's errand kid. Only real trainers get in there. You ought to be looking for further your luck here. But do what makes you happy." Katsu sat back more comfortably.

"Still, if you're training your pokemon hard. You're still missing out on a better deal. Our pokemon battles will make you ten times the money."

"Pika!" Pikachu growled with his cheeks sparking.

Ash's face turned red and he slammed both hands into the desk.

"My pokemon will never be in your fights!" The three bodyguards tried to grab Ash but Katsu waved them off.

"You're missing out kid. One day you'll see things straight." Ash grit his teeth and lowered his head.

* * *

Later that night, Ash sat in his apartment and grit his teeth while an alcohol-filled cotton swath pressed against his face where _Chainsaw's _punches had landed.

"Hold still." A firm voice reminded Ash.

"Sorry." Brock took a deep breath as he continued to look over Ash's face and body with a small flashlight. Any open wounds were cleaned by his swath. Pikachu and Ash's other pokemon watched with nervous expressions as Brock looked over their trainer.

"Alright, you should be ok. Nothing a rest won't take care of." Brock sighed.

Ash let out a relieved breath and nodded.

"Thank you Brock."

Brock didn't seem quite as relieved as Ash.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm only enabling you." Brock grumbled.

"Brock-"

"Ash I'm worried about you, so are Lucy and Misty. If your mother knew what you were doing here-"

"I know this isn't ideal. But I have to support myself and my pokemon."

Brock stared intensely at Ash.

"There are legitimate jobs you could get. You're qualified for plenty of them."

Ash grit his teeth.

"I don't have time to work all day. I need that time to keep training my pokemon. It's the only way we'll get into the KPTL. This is my dream Brock."

"You've been here for almost three years! Look, I know you've wanted this since you were a kid and I'd never want you to just give up. But your mom will support you, just ask."

Ash shook his head.

"I'm not a kid anymore. I can't just ask my mom to take care of me forever. I won't burden her with my problems."

"Ash! This path you're on isn't going to have a happy ending! You're going to get yourself seriously hurt or worse!"

Ash gave another defiant look.

"The qualifiers are coming up soon. I'll get in this time, I know it. Once I'm in the KPTL I'll never have to do this again." Brock took a deep breath and got up.

"We're not the only ones worried about you Ash." Brock got up and left, leaving Ash to look back at his Pokemons' expressions.

They came up around Ash and embraced him.

"…..Guys, this is what has to be done. It's the only way we'll achieve our dream…..I'm the one who'll make the sacrifice." Ash returned all but Pikachu to their pokeballs and then returned to his bedroom.

He stripped down and got into bed with an exhausted expression. Pikachu jumped in beside ash and stared down at him with the same fear that had persisted all day.

"Pika."

* * *

_Author's note_

_I'm back with Pokemon stories,_

_I've considered doing a setting like this for some time but needed the right setting, Pokemon seemed to be able to work given the right story and I found it _

_This will be a grittier version of what I've done before but nothing you find mean spirited I hope. _

_You'll still see my trademarks here and rest assured and I won't get too depressing, I'm someone who believes's stories should have some optimism in them. But that's just me, not everyone has to do that._

_As usual, please leave feedback as it helps me know what I'm doing good and bad on. _

_I will accept OC's if anyone's interested, however, please understand I will use them how I need to in service of the story, I cannot write the story around them_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Resolve

* * *

The sun slowly rose over Saffron city. Pikachu yawned as his eyes slowly opened. He glanced over at Ash. The fatigue on his trainer's face was still evident even as he slept. The marks from _Chainsaw's_ blows still marred Ash's body.

Pikachu nudged his head against Ash and sighed. However, when Pikachu raised his head again, he saw the sun rising over the horizon. On the train track across from their apartment, Pikachu thought he saw two silhouettes on the track.

Both appeared to be watching Ash closely.

"Pika?" Pikachu looked closer and nearly jumped when he saw their eyes glow blue for a moment.

"Pika!" Pikachu rubbed his eyes.

When he looked back a train was running past them. When it passed, both figures were gone.

Pikachu shook a little, it hadn't been the first time he thought someone was watching Ash. But this was the first time he had seen someone. Then there were the eyes, Pikachu hadn't told the others but he had seen Ash's eyes glow like that before. Almost every time he had done so was during the fights.

Fifteen minutes later, the alarm went off and Ash reached for the snooze button.

"Ahhhhh." Ash groaned as he felt his body and face throb.

When Ash sat up, he saw Pikachu beside him with his cold compress.

"Thanks." Ash took the compress and put it against his face.

Ash slowly got up and stretched his back.

Pikachu glanced back at the window for a moment but the figures were still nowhere to be seen.

Two hours later, Ash had finished his morning training and showered. He now sat at the table with a bowl of Tamago kake gohan while his pokemon ate their own breakfast.

Ash looked over his various bills with renewed fatigue. He wondered if it was better or worse to get them all on the same day.

He took a final bite and wrote down the total amount. Ash then went back to the bedroom for a moment. In the closet, Ash pushed his hanging shirts away from a hidden safe. After entering the combination, Ash opened it to reveal a pile of Yen. Ash looked back at the amount he had written down and took out that much.

Ash carefully enclosed the return envelopes with the exact amount owed.

With that, he glanced over at his pokemon.

Their expressions continued to mirror the previous day's.

"Come on guys, everything's fine." He noticed them staring at the mark on his face.

"…I'm fine….Come on." Ash emphasized the calendar.

"Just one more, then prelims. Once we make it in this time, it's over. No more fights." Hearing this made the six far more motivated, though not in the way Ash intended.

He returned each to their pokeball, save Pikachu, who ran onto Ash's shoulder.

"Come on." Pikachu's optimistic expression returned while Ash stroked his head.

* * *

Less than an hour later, Ash and Pikachu arrived at the Training center. Ash had signed in and made his way past one of the endurance rooms.

However, Ash felt Pikachu's paw against his neck and looked over at where he was pointing.

They now both looked at Gou as he stood outside a battling room. Gou looked different than he normally did back at the apartment building and with his dad. Gou and his Scorbunny both shook with an immense fear across their faces.

"Gou?" Before Ash could do anything, Gou walked inside.

For a moment, Ash considering going to check on him when another hand smacked onto his shoulder.

"Morning Ash." A sharp vice said from behind.

Ash nearly jumped and shot his head to another trainer behind him with his fist raised.

"Easy Ash! Geez, why are you always so jumpy!" Ash sighed and lowered his fist while Pikachu sweatdropped.

"Morning Eli."

The young man across from him looked to be in his mid-twenties with a slightly lighter skin tone then Ash's though still a little tan. He had an average body size with short black hair and green eyes.

"Are you ok? Getting into more street fights?" Eli joked as he emphasized Ash's face.

"…Yeah." Ash said almost sarcastically while Pikachu looked at him sternly.

"Just a bit longer till the 3rd Quarter prelim. No way I'm not making it this time. My pokemon have been training harder than ever." Ash smiled a bit more.

"So they're as strong as you want?"

"You can never make your pokemon too strong, Ash. I figure that's how Daniel Rian made it to the top. He's living the dream, not even thirty years old and he's the best trainer in the world, married to Cynthia and there's even rumor's they've got a baby on the way. One day that's going to be me, only the strongest can be number one."

Ash chuckled.

"There's a bit more to it than that, Eli."

"Not as far as I can see. So, are you doing more steadfast training today or do you feel like a battle? Charizard could use a good challenge and yours isn't half bad."

Ash smiled more confidently.

"Be careful what you ask for."

A few moments later all three of them heard something of interest.

They looked back at the entrance to see one of the center's employees standing in front of five foreigners. Two men and three women waited with a pokemon beside them. The first was a young man with dark skin, glasses and short black hair with a Talonflame beside him.

The second was a young woman with fair skin, blue eyes and honey-blonde hair with a Braixen beside her.

The next was another young woman with fair skin, short blue hair, brown eyes, and a Slurpuff beside her.

The next was a young woman with tanner skin, long brown hair that came at two tail ends, green eyes and a Delcatty beside her.

The last was a young man with fair skin, black hair, brown eyes, and a portly demeanor with a Crawdaunt beside him.

The employee spoke to them in a different language as they responded back in kind.

"Who the hell are they?"

Ash looked back over at the board and saw the Showcase sign again.

"I wonder if they're part of this showcase thing?" Ash asked.

"Maybe, what kind of weird words are they speaking?"

"That's Kalos. " Eli turned to Ash looking very confused.

Pikachu chuckled a little while Ash smiled.

"A few years ago I was competing in the Hoenn league and traveled with my friend Brock. He had been sponsored to learn under a Kalos Pokemon doctor over the phone while we traveled. They only spoke in Kalos and Brock asked us all to practice with him. Now I speak Kalos almost perfectly."

Eli laughed.

"What are they saying? Are they going to take over our training center?"

Ash shook his head.

"He's just telling them about the facility. They say they're performers. Apparently, they're going to use this place for the first Kanto Showcase or something. He's going to show them where they can practice."

Eli sighed.

"I hope they don't take up any good spaces." Ash looked back at them one more time as the worker led them off.

For the next hour, Ash and Staraptor trained in the aviary room. Staraptor flew masterful through various rings while two Fearow and a Pidgeot attacked him.

"Double Team! Arial ace!"

Staraptor made a dozen copies of himself that all three of his opponents flew through before coming around to hit them with Arial Ace.

Staraptor angled back and continued to fly through more rings.

"Great work, Staraptor! Keep it up!"

"Haze." Ash heard.

Across the room was another trainer. He appeared to be in his late twenties with the same skin tone as Ash and a stocky build. His eyes were green like grass and his hair thick-brown.

A Honchkrow similarly flew around rings while two Golbat and a Crobat attacked him. The Honchkrow filled the area around him with a thick mist and all three bats became hopelessly lost.

"Dark Pulse." The Honchkrow unleashed the dark attack into his opponents, sweeping them all away.

The young man glanced over at Ash and his Staraptor for a moment before smiling malevolently.

"Quash." The Honchkrow now looked over at Staraptor and dashed over.

"Agility!" Ash shouted, however, the Honchkrow slapped Staraptor with his wing from behind and Staraptor was left waiting.

"Huh!?"

"Pika!"

Staraptor was unable to use his move before his opponents struck him with three Wing attacks.

Despite this, Staraptor recovered and got back up to the rings.

Ash and Pikachu grit their teeth angrily at the trainer across the room.

"Double-team, heatwave!" When the three birds came back at him, Staraptor made another dozen copies of himself that all unleashed a thick wave of fiery energy across the air. Unable to tell which was real, the two Fearow and one Pidgeot were swept up and scorched onto the ground.

Ash, Pikachu, and Staraptor let out breaths of relief before hearing a slow clap from the trainer across the room.

"Not bad, Ketchum." Ash's face nearly ignited in flames as he raised his fist at the trainer.

"What the Hell, Sage! If you want a straight-up battle, just say so!"

The trainer chuckled.

"KPTL trainers should be ready for anything. If you want to make it past prelim like me, you should be ready." Pikachu and Staraptor saw Ash nearly shake with resentment as Sage smiled at him.

"I'm only trying to help you. Believe it or not, I want you to get through Prelims. Qualifiers will be boring without lively trainers like you."

Ash continued to grit his teeth and looked away.

"I'll see you there Sage. "

Once the hour passed, Ash made sure Staraptor had plenty of water before he returned him.

Ash traversed the halls while stroking the side of Pikachu's head.

"So do you want to go next or let Charizard go?"

"Chu." Pikachu said calmly.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

Moments later, they both saw someone ahead of them. Ash looked close and realized it was one of the young women from Kalos.

She was the one with the Braixen. Her deep blue eyes and long, honey-blonde hair that extended past her shoulders and nearly went halfway down her back. She appeared to be Ash's age and wore a blueish-gold top with no sleeves and a green short skirt.

The top didn't cover her lower abdomen, revealing her slender belly. Ash couldn't deny it, she was beautiful.

However, the young woman looked lost and slightly anxious as she walked around the halls.

Eventually, she saw Ash and stared back at him for a moment.

Finally, she seemed to snap out of the trance and nervously sweatdropped.

"Hello." She said.

"I'm a little lost, I went to the bathroom but now I can't find the other performers." The young woman's Kanto was less than fluent. Ash and Pikachu now sweatdropped a little.

"Well, this place can be a little confusing if you're new to it. I remember when we first started coming here." The young woman's eyes widened and her Braixen almost took a step back when they heard Ash speak in perfect Kalos.

"I thought I'd make it easier for you."

The young woman closed her eyes with a sheepish smile.

"Thank you, my Kanto still needs a lot of work."

"Don't sweat it. It sounds better than some people I know who were born here. Is this your first time in Kanto?"

She shook her head.

"I was once here a long time ago when I was just a little girl. I didn't get to see Saffron city the last time. It's even bigger than Lumoise city."

Ash nodded.

"I'm Ash Ketchum by the way."

"Serena Achille."

"So you're one of the performers." She nodded back with a warm smile.

"I've heard of coordinators and contests before. Are showcases similar?" Serena took another deep breath.

"Kind off, Showcases don't have any battle portion and performers must be active in the performance. Our pokemon aren't the only ones being judged. Each Showcase is also different in what you're expected to do."

Ash nodded.

"So they're coming here too."

"Yes! Our showcase in a month will be the kick-off for a series of competitions across Kanto. It's hoped the showcase will inspire new performers in Kanto and Johto."

"So you came here to practice. Well, you were sent to the right place, there's no better place to train then one of the Dohen Training Centers."

Serena gave a slightly sheepish look again as she sweatdropped.

"Right…I don't suppose you know where to train with a fire-type?"

Ash smiled and put his hand on Serena's shoulder. The young woman was a bit surprised by this but didn't react physically.

"This way, I was heading there too."

While they walked, Ash and Serena carefully glanced back at each other every few moments. Pikachu and Braixen noticed this. Braixen rolled her eyes but Pikachu watched Serena with interest.

* * *

Eventually, they arrived at a lager room built for fire pokemon. Platforms were built over concrete and stone pits.

"Charizard, Dragon claw!"

The great fire lizard's claws illuminated green and slashed furiously in a defensive manner against a Magmortar's Thunder punch and two Arcanine's Thunder Fangs.

His claws rapidly beat back the electrified attacks with great strength. But Ash also kept a close eye for an opening. Charizard flipped an Arcanine into Magmortar and Ash finally saw it.

"Air Slash!" Charizard kicked off the ground. With incredible speed, he slashed all three of his opponents into the ground.

"Pika!"

"Top notch Charizard." Charizard gave a confident smile as he landed and huffed out some smoke

Nearby, Serena and her Braixen watched Ash diligently, Serena in particular. Serena didn't say anything to Braixen, she just watched with an expression Braixen hadn't seen her partner give before.

"Braix?" Serena nearly jumped and felt her face turn slightly red when she saw Braixen's somewhat impatient look.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something…..We better get to work."

Eventually, Ash took Charizard out and poured him a large bowl of water.

"Your speed and strength are still holding strong. I think your endurance should be our next focus." Charizard gave a slight nod in between drinks of water.

The heat emanated from the numerous fire-types in the room had also dried out Pikachu's tongue.

He jumped down and cautiously motioned towards the bowl. Charizard growled at Pikachu for a moment before huffing some smoke into his face.

Pikachu's expression turned annoyed while Charizard chuckled with Ash a little.

Once the soot was off his face, Charizard moved his head to let Pikachu drink as well.

"Fire Spin!" The three heard.

Ash recognized Serena's voice, particularly from the fact that she spoke in Kalos.

He was joined by Pikachu and Charizard as they glanced down at the next training area.

Serena and her Braixen danced elegantly together inside the arena concrete. The Fire Spin dispersed around them in small harmless embers that seem to emphasize the two even more.

Ash remembered seeing moves used in similar ways by two old friends of his from Hoenn and Sinnoh. However, unlike them, Serena was just as involved in the performance as her Braixen. The two moved passionately gather with determined expressions and focused demeanors.

Their movements had clearly been well-rehearsed and diligently trained.

"Light Screen!"

"Braix!" The Braixen waved her branch and formed a dozen mirror-screens around them and reflected their movements across the area.

Ash had never been a huge fan of pokemon contests. He had always wanted to support his friends of course but his personal interest in them was close to none. The one or two times he had been convinced to compete himself were almost miserable experiences.

This, however, was different. Nothing Ash wanted to do himself, of course, however, he appreciated the level of training and devotion that went into Serena's performance. But it wasn't just that, Ash watched as Serena lifted her Braixen up and spun the fire pokemon over her head.

Pikachu and Charizard were a bit impressed by how well the two worked together but when they saw Ash's expression their interest quickly turned to him.

To them, it almost looked like Ash became lost in the performance. It was just as Serena had said. Unlike coordinators, she was actively involved in the performance. She worked with her pokemon in a way Ash hadn't seen before.

As Serena continued to lift her Braixen up, Ash noticed an anxious expression emerge on both their faces.

The young woman took a deep breath and looked back up.

"Flamethrower!" She cried out in Kalos.

The Braixen thrust her branch forward but the flamethrower that came out could barely be considered one. The weak jet of fire struck each light screen but only cracked them.

Charizard shook his head while Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped.

"Grauu." Charizard growled before Pikachu gave him a mild shock with his tail.

"Grauuu!" Charizard snarled at Pikachu. That was until he saw Pikachu give him a stern look and point down at the Braixen. Charizard now gave a sheepish sweatdrop as he realized Braixen might have heard him.

Braixen lowered her head and almost curled up on the ground.

Serena placed her hand on Braixen's shoulder with a consoling look.

"It's ok Braixen. I know you're trying hard. It's not your fault." Braixen's face seemed to turn a little pale as she glanced at Serena's expression.

Ash could see it as well, something buried deep within Serena was still causing her pain.

"Flame Charge!" Ash heard in Kalos nearby.

He looked over with Serena to see the performer with the Talonflame soaring over this own arena while being held up by his pokemon.

The fire bird's flames seem to move behind him in a trail of harmless embers but none came by the performer himself.

From the air, however, he saw Serena in the other arena.

"Serena." His Talonflame brought him down beside the arena.

"There you are, what happened? Shauna and Tierno have been worried."

Serena sweatdropped.

"Sorry, Joc. I got a little lost. Ash helped me find this room."

Joc looked over at Ash and nervously put his hand behind his head.

"Hello, thank you for helping Serena." His Kanto wasn't much better than Serena's.

Ash chuckled.

"It's fine, I was happy to help." Joc and Talonflame looked shocked at Ash's fluency with Kalos.

"Finally, someone here who can speak well. You really ought to teak our guide here a thing or two on Kalos grammar." Joc said while Serena giggled a little.

"Anyway, the others agreed to meet in the water room. Are you coming?"

Serena nervously looked back at Ash.

"Actually, since we're going to be here a while I thought my Kanto could use some work. If you wouldn't mind me tagging along with you?" Serena's words held a bit of angst to them.

Ash smiled.

"Of course not. Just let me know where you'd like to go next."

"Alright, just don't come in too late to the hotel. We're all new to this city and region."

Joc and his Talonflame went off as Serena came back up beside Ash with Braixen.

"So where to next?" Ash asked.

"Well, I was hoping to practice with my Grovyle." Ash nodded.

"I know just the room."

* * *

Several minutes later, Ash and Pikachu watched as Sceptile fought off two Scyther and a Scizor.

All three used X-Scissors from different directions.

"Agility and Iron Tail!" Sceptile's large tail coated itself in metal but still moved just as fast as if it weren't.

The grass starter masterfully evaded their blades and parried the other blows away with Iron tail.

Sceptile's parries were strong enough to flip the three bug types around when they made contact.

All the while, Serena and her Grovyle watched from nearby. The fighting arenas here carried more than the fire room.

Some areas were simply grassy plains while others had trees and bushes.

Ash's area had a few trees which Sceptile took advantage of as points to jump from.

Serena watched Ash closely as she had before. Her focus on his total appearance and demeanor distracted her from the fading marks on his face.

After another minute, Serena snapped back to reality and got up.

"We better get to work Grovyle, Grovyle?" Serena's Grovyle nearly trembled as she watched Sceptile battle his opponent's. The grass pokemon's face was red and her knees wobbled.

"Dragon Claw!"

Sceptile's claws lit up and he furiously slashed all three bug pokemon away.

"Vyle!" Grovyle's eyes turned to hearts and her hands clasped together.

Serena held her hand over her mouth with a giggle.

"Come on." Serena gently guided Grovyle into a grassy field.

Once Sceptile finished, he joined Ash and Pikachu as they checked on Serena's progress.

Just like before, Serena trained with Grovyle. The two danced with incredible synchronization. Grovyle used agility to move precisely around Serena as if she had used double team.

Pikachu noticed Sceptile nod slightly as he watched.

"Pika." Pikachu said with a taunting smile.

Grovyle didn't give his friend the satisfaction of an irritated look. He simply shook his head.

"Energy Ball!" Grovyle used her tail to hurl a glowing ball up above them.

"Solar beam!" Grovyle took in sunlight while still moving with Serena. However, at this point, Serena put in more effort to support Grovyle since she was channeling Solar beam.

Finally, Grovyle gathered her power and opened her mouth to unleash it. Ash and his pokemon braced themselves for the blinding light, however, Ash noticed an anxious look on Serena and Grovyle's face.

Ash then saw what worried them. Just like Braixen's Flamethrower, Grovyle's Solar beam came out in a severely weakened manner. The beam was incredibly narrow and failed to break apart the Energy Ball. Instead, it only filled the Energy Ball with Solar energy which now fell back towards the two.

"Look out!" Ash cried.

Serena and Grovyle yelped in terror before they sprinted away from the falling Energy Ball.

Sceptile dove forward and slammed the Energy ball into the arena's other side. Ash similarly sprinted down and tackled both to the ground while solar energy flew over their heads.

Ash grit his teeth as he felt the singe of the solar power rake against the back of his neck.

Serena and Grovyle, fortunately, were low enough to avoid it.

Both let out a sigh of relief before Serena realized Ash was over top of them both and blushed.

"Thank you." She tried to say in Kanto.

Ash grunted as he got up.

"Are you ok?" Serena lowered her head with Grovyle and nodded.

Ash, Pikachu, and Sceptile could see the shame and disappointment on their faces.

"….Solar beam still needs work." Grovyle closed her eyes and held her head. Serena put her arms around Grovyle but didn't look much better herself.

"Serena." Ash said in concern.

"We're fine, sorry about that."

Ash wasn't convinced.

Despite this, Serena didn't push for them to stay for her sake. Over the next few hours, Ash and Serena went across the Training center's various rooms with their other pokemon.

Ash met Serena's Pancham, Phione, Absol, and finally a Sylveon. Along the way, the two spoke more as Serena practiced her Kanto.

* * *

In the final room, Pikachu held himself up using Iron tail to avoid the effects of Earthquake by two Diglett and a Dugtrio.

"Dig!" The pokemon handler shouted.

All three ground pokemon burrowed underneath Pikachu but he didn't move. Ash waited as Pikachu carefully felt the ground tremors.

"Iron Tail!"

"Pika chu!" Pikachu lept up high and slammed his metal tail into the ground so hard it threw his opponents off their path. Each surfaced away from Pikachu with dizzy expressions.

Not wasting a beat, Pikachu crashed his tail into the ground pokemon one by one.

Pikachu landed back on his feet and breathed with an excited expression.

Ash similarly rocked his fist.

"Yes, our Earthquake countermeasure finally works!"

"Pika!"

"Fairy wing!" The two heard.

Pikachu ran up beside Ash as they looked over at the next area.

Once again, Serena performed elegantly, this time with Sylveon.

Like her other pokemon, Sylveon was well coordinated. Much of the movements involved Sylveon leaping into Serena's arms and being lifted higher up.

Sylveon had whipped up a pink wind around them that carried a dozen swift stars.

Ash and Pikachu slowly smiled seeing the passion in the two as they performed. However, as the performance came in for what looked to be a conclusion. The same anxious expressions returned to their faces.

Serena opened her mouth and from the movement of her lips, it appeared she was going to say the word Moon in Kalos.

"Moon blast." Ash thought. However, Serena didn't speak. She simply caught Sylveon again and held her for a few moments.

Sylveon slowly looked up at Serena with a weary expression. But her partner only sighed.

"We'll try again next time."

Sylveon slowly nodded.

Serena set her down and came back up beside Ash.

"Thanks for waiting."

"It's no trouble." Serena wiped some sweat from her face.

"I'm ready for a good shower."

"Did you want to get back to your hotel?" Serena gave a nervous look.

"We don't need to hurry! I should find the others first. If you wouldn't mind helping me?"

Ash smiled.

"We'll find them."

"Pika." Sylveon heard before she looked over at Pikachu. The electric's mouse's friendly expression gave her some warmth back.

"Syl."

Pikachu returned to Ash's shoulder and Sylveon stayed by Pikachu's side as they walked.

"Your pokemon are very powerful." Serena said in her best Kanto.

"Thanks, I can't take too much credit. They all work so hard."

"Pika." Pikachu shook his head and nuzzled the side of Ash's neck.

"Are you in the KPTL?"

Ash's smile almost retreated but with a reassuring look from Pikachu, he stayed firm.

"Not yet, we will be soon. After the next prelim and qualifier, we'll be in." Serena nodded.

"I don't see how that won't happen after what I saw today."

"You were quite amazing yourself. I've never seen anything like that before." Serena almost blushed again.

"It wasn't anything that special."

Ash shook his head.

"I've seen pokemon contests before but what I saw today was something different. True partnership between someone and their pokemon. I was, uh, well I thought it was pretty awesome." Ash quickly caught himself as he tried not to sound too bashful.

Serena had no such luck as she smiled with a red face.

"Thank you. You should see some of the other performers like Elle and her Delphox."

"It must be hard work, getting something so well executed." Serena nodded.

"You have no idea. I'm lucky my team is as passionate about performing as me."

"I know what you mean." Ash said as Pikachu smiled.

"The vision of what you could accomplish comes to you. It must come to you when planning out strategies." Ash nodded.

"It's a constant struggle but-"

Ash and Serena passed by a room where Ash noticed a battle was taking place.

He glanced inside with Pikachu to see none other than Gou with his Scorbunny.

A girl who was Gou's age stood across the battlefield with a Ponyta that crashed into Scorbunny with Wild Charge.

"Scorbunny!" Gou cried.

His fire starter wailed in agony as he landed in front of Gou.

Gou collapsed to his knees as he picked up Scorbunny in his arms.

The Ponyta returned to her trainer's side before being petted.

"Geez Gou, that's ten battles in a row. You haven't beaten anyone in the last month." The girl said while a few other trainers nodded.

Gou trembled with a somber expression as he heard the other trainers murmur around him.

"Why is he even trying?"

"No wonder he hasn't started his journey."

"He hasn't even caught another pokemon."

Gou began to tear up and ran from the room with Scorbunny in his arms.

"Gou!" Ash shouted.

"Pika!"

Serena and Sylveon didn't know who this boy was but gave sympathetic looks for him. Serena reached for Ash as he ran after the boy and quickly followed herself.

Ash finally caught up with Gou and grabbed his shoulder.

"Gou, are you ok?" Ash asked warmly.

Gou continued to shutter with tears flowing down his eyes.

"Leave me alone, Ash!" Gou tried to jerk away but Ash held his shoulder firmly.

"Gou."

The boy broke down into a sob.

"I'm never going to be a real trainer!" Gou wept. Scorbunny similarly teared up as his trainer's tears fell down onto him.

"I've been here all summer and I can't win any battles! I can't catch any new pokemon! No matter how hard we train we can't get any better!"

Ash and Pikachu could see the pain in Gou's face and pulled him in for a hug.

"Gou, it's ok. Everyone has a hard time once and a while. You'll get there."

"It's been months, Ash!"

"Gou, I've felt what you've felt."

Gou shook his head.

"You're the strongest trainer I know. You've never been like me. I should just quit no-"

"Gou!" Ash spoke sternly and held Gou by the shoulders.

Serena and Sylveon watched closely with worried looks.

Ash's face was hard but devoted.

"Gou, when I was older than you I lost my first pokemon league. I lost it because I didn't train my Charizard well enough and he almost hurt another pokemon. I felt ashamed and like a worthless trainer but to quit would be to give up on everything I worked for. Since then I've lost every league I've tried to enter."

Gou continued to shake with Scorbunny.

Ash smiled a little with Pikachu.

"I've failed every time to get past prelim but I'm still here. You'll get there one day if you persevere and keep moving forward. Learn from your mistakes and try again."

"Pika."

Serena touched her heart and smiled with a touched expression.

"Gou, never give up, never give up until the end."

Serena nearly jumped when she heard the last bit. Her face turned redder than it had been in years and her face nearly went crestfallen.

"What, what did he just say!?" She almost shouted before Sylveon covered her mouth.

Gou wiped the tears from his face and looked back up.

"You've tried your best for today. Get some rest and try again tomorrow, if what you'd did today didn't work try something different."

Gou nodded and began to calm down.

"I will."

Ash smiled.

"You will be a great trainer someday Gou. I know you will."

"Serena!" A familiar voice shouted.

Serena jumped when she felt another young woman's hand on her shoulder.

"There you are, we've been looking for you all day. Come on, we need to get back."

Serena noticed Gou walk away as Ash came back over.

"Hey, who's this."

Serena had to catch her breath.

"Shauna this is Ash, Ash this is Shauna."

"Hello, nice to meet you." Shauna gave a bewildered look upon hearing his Kalos.

"Geez how about that, you find someone who can speak Kalos here. Anyway, we need to go."

"Shauna!"

"I'm sorry to hear that. It was nice meeting you Serena, will you be back tomorrow?"

"Yes! I mean, yes, we'll be training here for a while." Ash nodded.

"I hope we can meet again." Serena almost shook as she nodded.

Shauna saw the flustered expression on her friend's face and then looked back at Ash as he walked away.

"Ehhhhh, we're here one day and she falls for the first guy she meets."

* * *

That night, Ash was back in his apartment and stared out the window with Pikachu.

"Serena." He thought. She wasn't quite like anyone he had traveled with before. But there was something else about her. Something he couldn't put his finger on.

In either case, when Ash heard Pikachu yawn, his own fatigue caught back up with him.

"Goodnight, Pikachu."

Ash laid back and Pikachu cuddled up beside him.

Elsewhere, Serena stared out the balcony of her hotel room. She gazed out at the city around her. A city so bright it almost put Lumoise city to shame.

She thought deeply about what Ash told Gou. Particularly, one phrase.

Serena thought back to many years ago. She was just a little girl in a straw hat. Serena wandered around the woods near Pallet town with a frightened expression.

* * *

_"Professor Oak! Anyone!" The little girl shouted as her angst and fight rose each moment she was alone._

_Serena wandered the woods looking for anyone but to no avail. That was until a bush near her began to rustle. Serena trembled as she looked over and saw a Poliwag jump out._

_The little girl cried out in terror and tried to get away, only to trip and scuff her leg on a rock as she fell._

_Serena felt a sharp pain in her leg and looked away as the Poliwag ran off._

_The little girl's eyes filled with frightened tears._

_"I didn't even want to come to this camp, mama!" She cried._

_Moments later, Serena heard the bush rustle again. Frightened by what might come out next, Serena closed her eyes and looked away._

_"Poliwag?" She heard. When Serena opened her eyes again, she saw a boy her age emerge from the bush._

_He looked around with a curious expression until noticing Serena._

_"Hey, are you ok?"_

_Serena continued to tremble as she looked down at her leg._

_"My leg hurts."_

_"Hmm, this should help!" The boy took out a blue handkerchief and wrapped it around Serena's leg._

_"There you go." Serena tried to get up but the pain was too much and she fell back down._

_"I can't, it hurts too much." The boy gave a determined expression._

_"Never give up until the end!" He took her hand and pulled Serena up and into his arms. Serena had finally calmed and saw him smile._

_"Come on, camp's this way."_

* * *

Back in the present, Serena held her chest again while she continued to blush.

* * *

"It's him, it's really him!".

Lieutenant Onishima let out a long sigh and held his temples in an exhausted manner. Scattered over the detective's files were almost a dozen files on team rocket.

Wrapped around his desk was a scruffy Arcanine with a similarly wary expression.

"The city doesn't pay us to sleep here." Onishima felt a warm mug bumped against his head.

The tired lieutenant looked over his shoulder to see Jenny smiling at him with two coffee mugs in her hands.

"Thanks." Onishima took a long sip but then nearly choked as he tasted something other than coffee.

Jenny chuckled hard.

"I thought you could use some extra stimulant."

"Sake only makes me more tired." Jenny's amused look remained.

"I know, you're never any fun at home when you drink it."

Jenny looked over the files on Onishima's desk.

"Find anything useful?"

"No, over a dozen files collected on Team Rocket and we're still only bringing in grunts! There's nothing in here, nothing! It's maddening!" Onetime threw the papers off his desk and Arcanine felt them land on him.

"Grooouh."

Jenny looked at his agitated expression with slight concern.

"Easy Daigo. You're going to give yourself a stroke." She carefully put her hand on Onishima's shoulder and tried to ease him.

The Lieutenant took a deep breath and sat back.

"Maybe you ought to call it a day. Let's go home and calm your nerves a bit."

Onishima shook his head.

"More people are getting hurt, more shops are getting robbed or extorted, more pokemon are being poached and sold. People and Pokemon are dying, Jenny. It's our duty to protect them and I'm failing."

"You're working harder than any policeman in Saffron city."

"It's not enough. Grrr, I just want to make those bastards hurt! Make them understand the pain they're putting others through."

Jenny kept her hand on his shoulder and sighed.

"Throwing a dozen grunts in jail won't do anything to their Boss and executives. The only language those scumbags speak is money." Onishima's head lifted slightly.

"Money, yes." Onishima ran through a few of the papers again.

"They've been getting bolder lately. Pushing for more money, something must be happening. Their leaders have been subtle before. They wouldn't pull this unless they needed more money! That's how we get them! We're going to track the money! The big money too, not these small-time robberies." Jenny smiled a little when she saw Onishima's renewed vitality.

"Quite the innovative idea, Daigo. I'll bet no cop's ever thought of that before." She chuckled while sipping on her coffee.

"I'm going to do it though. I'm going to bust one of their pokemon trafficking rings, fighting clubs, or black market antiquities. I'm going on the street right now to crack some heads open!" Onishima pulled out a black service revolver and placed it in his holster before rushing out of the office.

Jenny and the Arcanine watched with slightly anxious looks.

Jenny put her coffee down and stretched her back.

"Come on Arcanine, we better make sure he doesn't hurt himself, again." Jenny checked for her own service revolver before following Onishima with Arcanine.

* * *

_Author's note_

_Yep, Serena's here, I didn't want to make you guys wait too long_

_Where will they go from here? You'll have to see, also if you do have questions please PM them to me, I don't like answering them in Author's notes, especially if they're specific ones_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Training

* * *

The morning brought down its light onto Saffron city. Ash and Pikachu traversed through the streets. The two glanced at some of the large tv screens built into building sides with many other passerby's.

"Silph Co presents the new Dive Ball X4. Lighter and more efficient, Dive Ball will catch any underwater pokemon!"

Ash and Pikachu almost rolled their eyes.

"X4." Ash thought, remembering how X3 had only been revealed a year prior. He then glanced at another screen showing a news broadcast.

"Renowned pokemon geneticist Dr. Fuji is still missing. Police refused to comment on the matter, however, Dr. Fuji's colleague, Dr. Haru Aki, has commented that she is confident he will be found."

"Pika!" Pikachu shouted.

Ash looked below another screen and saw none other than Serena with the other performers.

"Join us at the Malcolm Dohen Trainer Center for the first-ever Kanto Showcase! See the dazzling performances from the Kalos performers!"

The screen showed short clips of performers dressed in elegant attire while performing just as magnificent routines beside their pokemon.

In one clip, Ash and Pikachu saw Serena performing with her Absol while in a Johto style Kimono.

Pikachu noticed the expression on Ash's face and gave a slight snicker.

"Witness the grand show and then join us across Kanto for our own Showcases!" Ash noticed the date of this showcase was after his prelim.

"Aww, they didn't even use my best performance." Tierno moaned with a heavy expression.

"That's your problem, every performance should be legendary. Like mine." The blue-haired girl boasted.

The other three looked at each other with slight annoyance.

"Still as confident as ever." Joc said.

"I've earned it."

"Best watch yourself Miette, people here might have different tastes." Shauna said boldly.

"Good morning, Serena." The young woman nearly jumped when she heard Ash's voice.

Serena did her best not to tremble and blush uncontrollably as she saw him.

"Gggood morning-" Serena almost stuttered before she was pushed aside by Miette who now approached Ash with an almost lustful look.

"Hello there, so handsome and can speak Kalos well, who might you be?"

Ash nervously sweatdropped and backed up a little. Pikachu didn't appreciate the demeanor of this young woman and gave an almost aggressive look.

Serena, meanwhile, nearly went pale and crestfallen when she saw Miette's blunt advance.

However, it didn't last long, within moments her face turned red in another manner and she reached for the back of Miette's neck.

"Whoa, easy there." Shauna grabbed Serena and held her back.

"I'm, uh. Ash."

"So pleased to meet you. The best performer in all of Kalos stands in your presence. You look quite lonely-" Miette started.

Ash and Pikachu now sweat dropped together in discomfort.

Shauna's eyes widened and she let Serena go.

"Miette! He clearly came here to see Serena." Shauna quickly pulled Miette away for her own safety. At the same time, Serena came between Miette and Ash while grabbing his arm.

Serena's furious expression towards Miette subsided and quickly turned flustered again upon realizing she had grabbed Ash's arm.

"Sorry I, good morning." She stuttered while sweat dropping and cursing Miette in her head.

Serena's Braixen had witnessed the entire ordeal and facepalmed hard.

"Geez, the poor guy's probably so freaked out by now." Joc said.

Tierno saw how close Serena was to Ash and crossed his arms.

"Who does this guy think he is anyway?" Joc glanced back at Tierno.

"He speaks Kalos, so watch your volume." Tierno jerked himself a bit with a nervous expression.

"This is the trainer you met yesterday right?" Shauna asked.

Ash nodded while Serena breathed deeply.

"Yesterday." She almost giggled.

"I remember you. Thanks for helping Serena not stay lost, you should have seen her at the hotel." Joc chuckled.

"Joc!"

"It's fine. You guys are heading back right?"

"You bet! We have to prepare our routines!" Shauna exclaimed.

"You should be ready, I'm going to take Kanto by storm, and everyone in it." Miette tried to come closer to Ash as she emphasized the word, everyone.

Ash gave another nervous expression before Serena pushed Miette back.

"We should get going."

Serena carefully kept herself between Ash and Miette as they walked and subtly moved him further and further from Miette.

"I'm sorry about all that. I swear, not everyone in Kalos is like that."

Ash nodded.

"I've been in less comfortable situations. You should have seen my friend Brock before he got married."

"Pika." Pikachu said vehemently with a nod.

Ash didn't notice the nearly overwhelmed expression on Serena's face as she looked at him. For her, it was almost unbelievable. Since she was a little girl, Serena hadn't stopped thinking about the boy from camp, her first crush.

She hadn't been obsessed with him but always dreamed of meeting him again. Seeing what he'd be like. Now, here he was, now she had the chance she always hoped she would.

Pikachu and Braixen saw Serena's bashful expression and red face with her eyes closed.

Braixen looked a little embarrassed while Pikachu smiled. Particularly when he noticed Ash's somewhat flustered look.

"Serena, did you still want to practice your Kanto more?"

Serena was so lost in her thoughts she almost missed what he said.

"Yes! I mean, of course. If you don't mind me tagging along with you?"

Ash smiled.

"Of course not."

Just like the day before, Ash and Serena trained hard while also practicing Serena's Kanto. Their pokemon also interacted more with each other. Much to Grovyle's excitement.

Serena was also careful to keep Ash away from Mette. Ash noticed Serena face the same problems she had the day before with her pokemons' moves. Though she avoided the subject.

By the end of the day, Serena had brought them outside the Trainer Center.

"So how was my Kanto?"

"I think you're definitely improving." Serena could tell a hint of careful deception in Ash's expression and sighed.

"You have to try harder." She thought.

"I didn't see the others." Serena shook her head.

"They went back already." Ash could see a hint of angst in her face that carefully trickled into Serena's voice. This angst had persisted in Serena all day but now came to fruition.

Serena had her hands clasped together while holding something and took a deep breath.

"Ash, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Ash looked closer and saw Serena reveal a blue handkerchief.

Ash looked closer at the handkerchief while Serena opened her eyes.

"Do you remember me? You gave me this a long time ago?"

Serena almost shook as she watched Ash and Pikachu look over the handkerchief carefully. The wait made her stomach tighten as if there were a binder on it.

Ash's eyes widened.

_"I can't, it hurts too much."_

_"Never give up until the end!"_

Ash looked back up at Serena.

"That was you! The girl in the straw hat!" Serena's face burned red again with a bashful smile.

"You do remember me!"

Ash gave a similarly bashful look as he put his hand on the back of his head.

"That was a memorable summer."

"I hope my Kanto's gotten better since then at least." Serena giggled.

"I don't know, you tried pretty hard back then and we weren't even ten years old. I can't believe you kept this after all these years."

Serena continued to smile.

"It was very special to me. I wondered if you'd want it back." Ash shook his head.

"You should keep it. Something to remember camp with." Serena blushed a little more.

"Serena, I don't know if you had any plans with the others but it's not too late. Maybe if you wanted to get some dinner and catch u-"

"Yes!" Serena barely stopped herself from shouting.

"Alright, I know a good place."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the two sat with their pokemon inside a restaurant on Saffron's south side.

The interior was well lit by rectangular lights shaped like paper lanterns. The various tables and booths were separated by small trees and the floor was a clean wood.

Many of the other patrons similarly had their pokemon out as they ate and drank, even at the bar.

"Ahh, this place is lovely. Quite a different style from Kalos."

"Have you ever tried food from Kanto before?"

Serena put her finger to the side of her mouth.

"Hmmm, I don't think so. But that's a little exciting, I'll get to experience it for the first time." She looked at the menu for a few minutes while Ash set his down.

"Ramen, please." Ash said to the waitress who nodded.

"And you?"

Serena did her best to read in Kanto but gave a nervous look. After an uncomfortable minute of silence, she gave a defeated sigh and pointed to the item.

"Ahh, Donburi. Good choice. It'll be right out."

"Thank you." Serena quickly answered.

"Sorry about that."

"You're fine, don't worry not getting some words right."

"So, what have you been up to since camp?" Serena smiled a little.

"Well, I had a busy childhood. My mama's career as a Rhyhorn racer and my papa's career as an Army officer kept us moving around Kalos. That was until I turned eight and mama retired from racing. We settled down in Vaniville Town but papa still had to move around a bit."

Ash could tell there was a bit of sadness to Serena's tone.

"You didn't get to see him?"

"Not all the time, he loves his career. I still got to see him sometimes, though I wish he had been around more." When Serena looked up a little, she noticed a tender expression in Ash's face. One of understanding, though he didn't say anything of it.

"Your mom was a Rhyhorn racer?"

Serena nodded.

"It's a very popular sport in Kalos. She was quite good at it too." Serena's expression turned wearier the more she spoke.

"Too good as it were. When I turned eight, she started training me to follow in her footsteps." From the look on her face, Ash could tell Serena wasn't remembering it fondly.

"I suppose you didn't enjoy it then?"

Serena sighed.

"I'm lucky I didn't end up with scars on my face. I hated it but mama insisted I'd grow into it. I could never hate Rhyhorn but it just wasn't what I wanted to do."

Ash slowly nodded.

"What did your dad say about it?"

The young woman lowered her head slightly.

"Papa tried to talk her out of it but he wasn't around enough to stop mama. That was until I turned fifteen and got Braixen as a Fennekin." The fire started looked back at Serena with a fond smile.

"Mama said I could travel for a bit before returning to my training. So I did and eventually met Shauna. She convinced me to try performing and we fell in love with it." Serena's optimism grew.

"Mama was resistant at first but after she and papa watched me perform, he convinced her to let me pursue it."

Ash smiled warmly to her.

"Well that's fantastic, you're living your dream." Serena nodded though not as enthusiastically as Ash thought she would.

"And here we are." The waitress returned with their food and set it down before them.

"Thank you." The two began eating and Serena anxiously picked up the chopsticks. She glanced at the others including Ash and watched them use the utensils.

"You can do it." Ash soon took notice of Serena's struggle and chuckled a little under his breath.

"Need some help?" Serena slowly nodded and then blushed uncontrollably as Ash placed his hand over hers and carefully guided her in how to use the chopsticks.

"There you go. You're getting it." Serena quickly nodded.

Serena's excitement nearly distracted her from the taste of her food. The Donburi tasted quite different than anything she had eaten back in Kalos but that wasn't a bad thing. The unique taste was interesting and she increased the pace of her consumption.

"It's good!"

"I like this place, it's a little pricy but worth it for a special occasion."

Serena giggled.

"He sees this as a special occasion." She thought. Ash and Pikachu both stopped when they saw Serena set her chopsticks down in the Donburi to take a drink of water. Their faces turned anxious when they saw she had placed them both straight up in the air.

A few other patrons nearby took notice of this as well.

"Serena, don't leave your chopsticks up like that." Ash said gently but hastily as well.

Serena looked around and saw the expressions towards her dish with confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just not something that's liked here in Kanto."

"Ohh, sorry I-"

"It's fine, you didn't know. Anyone here, myself included, would probably do something similar in Kalos."

Serena still looked a little embarrassed as she moved her chopsticks down. The other patrons returned to their meals.

"What about you? What have you been up too?"

Ash stroked Pikachu's face.

"When I turned ten, I was given Pikachu by professor Oak."

"I'll bet you two hit it off well." Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped as they looked at each other.

"Yeah….Definitely."

"Pika."

"After that, I traveled around Kanto collecting badges and catching more pokemon. Along the way, I made some friends who traveled with me. Including Brock. I competed in the Indigo League but lost."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

Ash took a deep breath.

"I was pretty young, there was no way I'd have won. After that I traveled around a bit more, Brock came with me to Jhoto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh…..I didn't have much luck in those regions either but I grew quite a bit and grew my team."

Serena thought about Ash traveling to different regions. From what she remembered of him at camp, it seemed like the kind of thing he'd do.

"After Sinnoh though, I decided it was time to look more towards the future. It's always been my dream to become a Pokemon master. The KPTL is the best fast track to getting there." Ash grew bolder as he spoke and sat up taller.

"Trainers in the KPTL are recognized as the best in Kanto. Some even make it to the Elite 4."

"Incredible. You're close to getting in?"

Ash sat back a little and looked more tired.

"I've been trying for a few years now. As I said, it's very selective. Prelims are held four times a year and then there's qualifiers. Just getting past prelims has proven too difficult so far."

Serena's expression turned more sympathetic.

"You've been training for so long. You'll definitely make it in this time." Serena saw Ash smile more optimistically but soon noticed a fearful look on Pikachu's face as he looked at Ash. Serena's interest grew as she noticed he looked more afraid for Ash than anything else.

* * *

Two more days passed and the two spent them together. Despite efforts from Miette, Serena remained with Ash as her Kanto grew more proficient.

On the second day, Ash was in a battle chamber with Lucario in front of him. Across the battle arena was another young man with short brown hair and hazel eyes. He wore a white t-shirt with blue jean shorts and a backward baseball cap.

"Infernape Fire Spin!"

"Extreme speed!" Lucario dashed ahead as quick as a flash. His swiftness allowed him to avoid each spinning burst of fire Infernape unlashed at him and struck the fire-starter in his legs. Despite this, the Infernape caught himself with hand hands and flipped himself back up. Though not without grunting as he landed back on his feet.

"Low sweep!" The Infernape rushed in and licked at Lucario's legs.

The fighting pokemon acrobatically flipped himself away but Infernape was quick yo pursue. The fire ape became relentless and showed no signs of fatigue even after multiple attacks.

"Aura Sphere!" The trainer across from Ash smile.

"Fire Punch!" Lucario lept up again while a ball of aura formed in his right paw. However, as he thrust it forward to project the attack, Infernape struck first and hit his arm with a blazing fist. The super-effective attack easily knocked Aura Sphere away and allowed Infernape to punch Lucario's chest.

"Grouuu!" Lucario grunted in pain. The attack was effective already but this Infernape was very strong.

"Great shot Infernape!" His trainer chanted.

Despite this, Ash and Pikachu remained calm.

"Steady yourself, use Swords Dance!"

Lucario got into a more aggressive stance and forged three swords made of aura around him.

"Fire Spin!"

Infernape brought forth his spinning fire but Lucario was ready and lept forward, narrowly avoiding the fire.

"Close Combat!"

"Fire Punch!" Both pokemon clashed but this time, Lucario struck first. His mighty paws slammed into Infernape's elbows, sending the burning knuckles harmlessly to the sides. The trainer was thrown off when he saw Lucario's eyes flash blue for a moment. At the same time, he almost though Ash's did the same.

With his body exposed, Infernape now endured the harrowing blows of Lucario's enhanced and relentless attacks.

Lucario growled and huffed with each blow until his palm crashed into Infernape's jaw and hurled him in front of his trainer.

"Infernape!" The trainer helped Infernape up as the pain from Close Combat weight down on him.

"Well done Lucario." Lucario huffed before nodding.

"Alright, it seems we still need some work. Last time Infernape came out on top." The trainer didn't sound frustrated or even upset.

Ash smiled and nodded with Lucario.

"I still think you're improving Will."

"We'll see if it's enough." The trainer stretched his arms before leaving with his infernape.

Gou and his Scorbunny had been watching the battle closely.

Ash approached Lucario and put his hand on the pokemon's shoulder.

Neither Ash nor Lucario could quite explain it but whenever he battled, there was something else going on, something deeper than his other pokemon. It was difficult to figure out what though.

"You're getting faster, do you feel comfortable stepping up the training difficulty?" Lucario confidently nodded.

"Pika!"

"Great, we'll get started tomorrow."

Gou took a deep breath and looked back at his Scorbunny.

"Ash said we needed to make some changes. That means we'll do what he does. Less battling and more actual training!"

"Scor!"

"Quick Attack!" Ash turned his attention back to Serena and her Absol as they performed.

Using Quick Attack, Absol moved around Serena, coming just where she was and narrowly avoiding striking her.

"Double Team!" Absol duplicated himself a dozen times and then jumped into Serena's arms. The duplicates continued to dance around them while Serena guided Absol into a leap above them.

"Ice Beam!"

"Sol!" Absol opened his mouth and brought forth an unsteady glow of icy power. The beam only froze eight of the twelve copies. Much to Serena and Absol's frustration but they continued.

"Night Slash!" Absol's head fin glowed violet and he slashed across the frozen Absols. Unfortunately, only half of them shattered into glittering fragments. Serena caught Absol despite this and finished their routine.

Serena took a deep breath as Absol stroked himself beside her.

Across the chamber, Serena saw Joc's Talonflame burst through flaming duplicates of himself without a problem and Miette's Meowstic burst apart a dozen Light Screens with Psychic.

Miette gave a smug glance over at Serena when she saw the cracked Absol copies linger.

Serena responded with a frustrated look until she felt Ash's hand on her shoulder.

"Serena, are you ok?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I just. Need to keep working on it is all."

Ash kept his hand on her shoulder for a moment.

"I thought it was great." Serena slowly nodded.

"Thank you."

"Serena, I've noticed you've had trouble with some of your pokemon's moves." Serena gave a hard breath and closed her eyes.

A few minutes later, the two sat in an exterior area where benches and tables had been set up for trainers to eat lunch.

Their pokemon ate before them while they sat on a bench.

"It's a problem we've always had. My pokemon have pushed themselves to become great performers but I've never been able to help them with their moves." Ash could feel the deep lament in Serena's voice.

"I've tried to hard to help them grow stronger but I'm not any good at it. I've had to buy TM's to help them learn new moves."

Ash shook his head.

"TM's will teach them the basics of the move but they need training to master it."

Serena nodded.

"It's become a problem before, during showcases. I….It's just made things more difficult." Serena was purposely evasive and spoke with deep shame.

Ash once again put his hand on her shoulder.

"What happened?"

Serena's pain began to surface a bit more and she nearly wiped a tear from her eye. Serena's pokemon followed suit, especially Braixen.

"It happened a few times. The routines we planned didn't work because I couldn't train their moves to be strong enough. It happened first with Sylveon, then with Pancham and both times I lost the showcase."

Pikachu saw Braixen's shame grow.

"But it worked out didn't it, you made it into the master class Showcase….." Ash cut himself off as he looked at Braixen and Serena again.

"Ohhh, I see." Serena kept her head low and her eyes closed.

"I failed at my chance to become Kalos Queen because I couldn't train my pokemon right. I hoped coming here would give me another chance but nothing has changed.

Serena felt Ash's warm grasp on her shoulder again. In his eyes, she saw a sympathetic look but also one of understanding.

"I know how you feel."

Serena carefully looked at Ash's expression and saw some familiar shame in his face.

"Do you remember the other day, when I was telling Gou about my own failures." Serena had almost forgotten that bit after realizing who Ash was with his phrase.

"I think so."

Ash took a deep breath.

"I lost the Indigo League because I wasn't experienced enough. I thought I could do it but I didn't have what it took to train a pokemon as strong as one I had."

"Grauuu." Serena heard Charizard groan. His expression was drowned in a mixture of guilt and shame.

"What, what happened?"

Pikachu nudged against Ash's head as he closed his eyes.

"Charizard wasn't originally mine, I took him in as a Charmander after his abusive original trainer abandoned him."

"Abusive, abandoned?" Serena clover her mouth in horror as she looked back at Charizard.

"We became good friends and I ended up suing him a lot in battles, maybe a little too much. He grew faster than my other pokemon and evolved into a Charmeleon. It wasn't really a problem, he still listened to me but the others noticed he had a lot more confidence than before. I didn't think much of it until he evolved into Charizard."

Serena could hear a great amount of dread in Ash's voice.

"He stopped listening to you?"

"…..Worse, he started losing control. He became too strong too fast, I hadn't trained him properly and whenever I took Charizard out of his pokeball he'd almost go feral. He'd take fights way to farrand almost kill the pokemon and I'd have to scramble to get him back in his pokeball."

Serena's pokemon gave terrified expressions as they looked at Charizard. Squirtle and Lucario both patted him on the back as he almost curled up into a ball.

"But you still used him?" Serena asked almost horrified.

With immense guilt, Ash nodded.

"During the Indigo League, I was down to my last pokemon choice against a very skilled opponent. I was so afraid of losing and Charizard was my most powerful pokemon. So I used him, lost control and he nearly killed the opposing pokemon."

Serena clasped her hands together and lowered them. She had become speechless think gin about such a thing.

"…..Needless to say, I felt quite guilty after it. For a while, I wondered if I was good enough to be a trainer. But in the end, I chose not to let my mistake define me and pushed myself to become a better trainer."

Charizard got up and nudged his head against Ash's. Serena slowly began to smile as she saw the fire-lizard lick Ash warmly.

"You remembered what I said." Serena giggled.

"I could never forget. You're right, I can work past this, here in Kanto I'll do it."

"You don't have to do it alone either. If you need help I'm here."

Serena blushed a little but then looked hesitant.

"I don't know, you're so busy with your prelims coming up. I wouldn't want to hinder your progress." Ash shook his head.

"You won't." Serena's smile widened and her face blushed more.

Grovyle's expression began to mirror Serena's as she carefully moved closer to Sceptile until he felt her head brush against him.

"Vyle." Sceptile sweatdropped while Ash's other pokemon gave taunting looking.

At the same time, Serena and Ash felt their stomachs growl. In the heat of conversation, they had almost forgotten their own lunch.

Serena took out a homemade Kalos styled sandwich and noticed Ash took out a sandwich as well. However, it wasn't homemade. Serena glance at the clear plastic wrapping and generic label for the clearly cheap sandwich. Ash didn't show any signs of disgust or annoyance as he removed the sandwich and began to eat it, however, he did look slightly tired.

Serena wondered why Ash would buy such a cheap sandwich when he clearly didn't enjoy it. But then again her situation with the Showcase association kept her reasonably well-financed. She had no idea of Ash's situation and didn't want to sound elitist.

After their lunch, Ash and Serena entered the fire room.

There Serena nervously stood on the platform overlooking the cement arena and Braixen below.

Beside them were Ash and Charizard respectively.

"Alright, let's begin. We're going to hone Braixen's moves through training. A pokemon's strength grows through practice and just the right amount of pressure. We'll start with Flamethrower, Charizard, give her a proper demonstration."

Charizard nodded and Braixen watched carefully.

"Grauuu!" Charizard thrust his head forward and breathed a fiery inferno so powerful it made Braixen jump backward in fright. Serena had a similar reaction and nearly knocked herself and Ash over as she jerked into him.

Charizard huffed out some smoke and looked at Braixen. The flame fox gave a nervous sweat drop before she drew her wand. With a deep breath, Braixen attempted flamethrower. But just like before it came out in an unsteady and weak stream.

"Grauu!" Charizard growled. He informed her to try harder, much to Braixen's chagrin. Even so, her beam only got slightly steadier.

Serena sighed.

"It's ok, we have our base. How were you trying to train her before?" Serena held her hands tightly together.

"We practiced using it and tried battling…..We were never that good at it."

"Practicing it alone will only get so far. Pokemon grow stronger under pressure but pressure done right. Braixen should try using it to defend her self and evasively. I want Charizard to laugh some controlled attacks, Braixen should try and dodge them or intercept them."

Serena nodded.

"Braixen get ready!"

"Braix!"

Charizard flew up and above Braixen. His aggressive expression terrified Braixen, particularly after Ash's story. Ash and Pikachu responded with a stern look to Charizard, who chuckled.

"Charizard, small bursts of fire, nothing that could hurt her." Charizard arched his head back slightly and breathed a burst of fire the size of Pikachu.

"Flamethrower!"

Braixen raised her wand and brought forth her Flamethrower. Just like before, it was weak and couldn't stop Charizard's stronger attack.

"Dodge it!" Braixen jumped away without difficulty but Charizard continued the pressure.

Braixen continued to dodge these attacks after each Flamethrower failed to stop them. However, her determination rose with each one and as Charizard increased the pace, Serena noticed Braixen's Flamethrowers grow slightly more steady.

"Yes, that's it keep it up!" Serena shouted.

"Braix!" Braixen cried out. Finally, after several minutes, Braixen's Flamethrower intercepted a flame burst and stopped it.

"You got it!"

"Pika!

"Braixen, your flamethrower is finally stronger!" Serena's face turned red in excitement while Braixen's eyes filled with stars.

"It will still need work but this is a first good step. What other moves should we work on?"

Serena thought for a moment.

"Psybeam!"

"Alright then, use small bursts of Dragon Pulse!"

Charizard breathed out small dragon-shaped bursts of energy as Braixen aimed her wand up.

"Psybeam!"

* * *

The day went on with Ash and his pokemon helping Serena's pokemon strengthen their moves. Both still made sure their they had time to do their own individual training as well. All the while, Serena continued to practice her Kanto. Like her pokemons' moves, she grew steadier and steadier.

By the end of the day, the two were back at the entrance with the rest of the performers.

"Thanks again, my pokemon have never been stronger." Serena said blushing a little.

"It was fun. I haven't helped someone else train in a long time, it felt good. Your Kanto is improving as well." Serena's blush became more evident.

Shauna giggled a little while Tierno scowled.

"Connard." Tierno whispered under his breath.

"Alright, come on. We'll be back tomorrow." Shauna said as she grabbed Serena and led her away.

Ash and Pikachu were about to follow when their path was blocked by Miette.

"Shit." Ash thought as he saw her lustful expression.

"I have to say, I'm a bit concerned. You're spending your time with someone at Serena's level. You're missing out on those who are far more elite."

Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped.

"We're fine."

"Are you? You haven't seen what Kalos really has to offer."

"Pika." Pikachu growled while his cheeks sparked.

"As I said, we're fine." Ash walked past Miette as Pikachu smiled with a satisfied expression.

* * *

_Author's note_

_Yep, like my other stories, Ash does remember Serena, _

_Be aware that some chapters will cover multiple days as I will have to condence time since this is a shorter story_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Saffron at Night

* * *

Pikachu furiously evaded a series of Stone Edge rocks hurled at him by a Golem and two Graveler.

He had Iron Tail equipped but tried to focus speed and agility, only using Iron Taul when he absolutely had to.

"Pikachu, less time on your feet!" Pikachu grit his teeth and pushed himself harder. However, not without results. Despite moving faster, Pikachu exerted himself less overall by having to use Iron Tail, less.

"Iron Tail!" Once the last spike passed, Pikachu dashed forward in a single motion and almost broke his tail against the first Graveler. Using the rock pokemon as a jump point, he leaped into the second Graveler and did the same. With the third swift motion, Pikachu hit and knocked out Golem.

Pikachu landed on his feet and panted a little.

"Nicely done, Pikachu. More improvement in your agility."

"Chu." Pikachu seemed quite pleased with his results as well.

Across the room, Serena's Braixen danced with her in their arena. Their moves became intricate but still passionate.

"Light Screen!"

When they reached the final portion. Serena took a deep breath and held Braixen's paw tighter. The firefox seemed afraid but Serena's warm grasp and encouraging look eased her through it.

"Flamethrower!"

"Braix!" Braixen aimed her wand out and spun with Serena. The flames impacted each screen with intense heat, they cracked slowly at first but then shattered completely. Various fragments glittered as they enhanced the embers' light.

Braixen's eyes sparkled like the shattered Light Screen when she saw her Flamethrower's new power.

"You did it! It finally worked!"

Serena embraced Braixen in a tight hug.

Ash and Pikachu also watched with proud expressions.

"Looks like Flamethrower is finally strong enough for your routine." When Serena let go of Braixen she rushed over and hugged Ash.

"It's all thanks to you!" She almost shouted with a deep blush.

Pikachu smirked as he saw Ash's face grow a little flustered as well.

"Braixen put in the work. She could still get a lot stronger, all your pokemon could if you wanted to keep training?" Serena continued to blush as she nodded.

* * *

The two walked together towards the entrance and noticed Gou in a training room with Scorbunny. The fire-bunny moved fast to avoid a Poliwag's Bubble attack.

"Keep dodging, Scorbunny!"

Ash smiled warmly as he saw the renewed sense of determination on Gou.

"He seems to have taken your advice to heart….Did I say that right?"

Ash nodded.

"I'm glad he hasn't quit. It would have broken my heart to see him just give up on his dream."

When they reached the entrance, Shauna waited with the other performers.

"There you are. We agreed to be here at six." Shauna's stern look made Serena sweat drop nervously.

"Sorry, I sort of forgot about the plan."

"Six? You guys are heading back awfully early."

"We're not heading back to the hotel, we've been here over a week and wanted to spend a night seeing Saffron and having some fun." Joc said.

Ash's expression changed slightly.

"We heard Saffron has some exciting sights and clubs. We certainly don't want to miss out on them." Shauna added.

Ash and Pikachu gave nervous expressions.

"Alright, just be careful. Some places can be dodgy, especially at night."

"Speak dah language well we do." Tierno said confidently in Kanto.

Ash, Pikachu, and Serena all sweatdropped.

"Clearly we don't." Joc sighed.

Serena looked back at Ash with an almost devilish smile.

"Ash, if you're not busy, why don't you come with us?"

"Huh!?" Tierno screamed with a crestfallen expression.

"Not a bad idea, he could translate for us if we needed him to. Plus you know this city better than we do." Shauna said.

"But it was supposed to be just u-" Miette pushed herself in front of Ash with her usual expression.

"I think it's a great idea. I can't wait to see where you'll take us." Serena angrily forced herself between Miette and Ash.

"Well, I guess I didn't have any other plans and I did feed my pokemon here. Alright, sounds fun."

Serena gave an eager expression but also stayed vigilant of Miette. Tierno simply gave a tired sigh and then an irritated look at Ash.

The sky was already growing dark over Saffron City as Ash led the others through downtown. The ocean of neon lights and music from various speakers almost drowned their senses.

"I should have brought sunglasses." Joc said. The glare from each neon light stuck his eyes hard.

Serena remained close to Ash as they walked through the busy streets.

Ash also checked back every minute or so to make sure he hadn't lost anyone in the chaotic night scene.

Their night took them across Saffron city. The first stop was down a few small alleys where they almost seemed to have gone back in time. The Kalos performers were taken back by the old fashioned restaurants built into the smaller streets.

Stools set up against wooden counters and paper lanterns hanging from them.

The numerous shop owners and their pokemon worked at a breakneck pace to keep up with the swath of customers.

Eventually, they stopped at a grill where each performer tried to order in Kanto. Only Serena managed to get hers right while the others made the shop owners and their Magmar sweatdrop.

Ash gave a slightly embarrassed look with Serena, Pikachu, and Sylveon.

"I can tell you what they ordered." Ash said much to the shop owners' relief.

"No, I can do it!" Tierno insisted as he pulled out a Kalos to Kanto dictionary.

Both shop owners gave a terrified expression before they waved at themselves while looking at Ash.

One by one, Ash gave the others' orders.

"I will have the beef skewer!" Tierno proudly blurted out in shaky Kanto.

"We know, your friend already told us." The woman said as she began cutting beef and the Magmar used a controlled flamethrower to heat up the grill.

"Merci!" Shauna said to Ash with Joc.

Tierno's expression became more irritated as he saw the others warm up to Ash. None more so than Serena.

Miette also watched the two with a close eye. Though not, in the same manner, Tierno did.

Once they finished dinner, Ash led them to a large cafe. Inside they watched live performances from dancers in kimonos wearing pokemon masks while real pokemon performed with them.

"So beautiful!" Serena had stars in her eyes as she and Sylveon nearly lost themselves in the performance.

Ash and Pikachu chuckled slightly as they saw similar reactions from the others.

Shauna and Joc furiously wrote down notes on their napkins.

Eventually, the group found themselves looking out a glass window from a tower overlooking the entire city. Then back to the streets.

"I love this city!" Shauna cried out.

"It's pretty good but we haven't had any real fun yet. I wonder if the alcohol here holds a Litwick to what we have back home?" Joc asked.

Ash smiled confidently at Joc.

"Be careful what you wish for."

* * *

Several minutes later, they stood outside a club lit by an immense neon sign of a Wigglytuff drinking with a Golduck.

"Here we are, the best club on this side of Saffron."

"Ohhh! This looks like it's going to be fun!" Shauna almost shouted.

Serena had to restrain her friend as they waited in line.

A large bouncer stood in front of the entrance wearing a sleeveless jacket while standing by a Machoke. The bouncer looked two be in his late twenties with grey eyes and a bright yellow mohawk. On the exposed parts of his body, they could see two tattoos and several of his teeth seemed to be missing.

"Excuse us, we'd like to enter." Serena said as respectfully as she could in Kanto.

The bouncer glanced at the group with an almost annoyed look.

"Who are you supposed to be? Your accent is very annoying."

"Hey!" Tierno interjected as he tried to force himself forward until he saw just how strong the bouncer looked.

The bouncer motioned towards Tierno as the performer backed up with a terrified look.

"You want to say something, fat boy?"

"We just want to get in." Ash said in a calm but firm voice. The bouncer looked at Ash and nearly jumped in fright.

Serena and the others were confused when they saw how frightened the bouncer look when he saw Ash.

But from the way Ash looked back at the bouncer, it almost looked as if he knew the man as well.

"Right, sorry to keep you waiting. Go right in." He stuttered before opening the cue rope.

Joc glanced over at Ash.

"Do you know him?"

Ash gave an evasive look.

"I uh, had some trouble here with him before. I came with a friend who got a little tipsy and that tried to get rough. Pikachu gave him and his Machoke a good shock."

"That's hilarious." Shauna giggled.

Serena and Miette weren't convinced as they saw Pikachu's tired expression and Ash's evasive one.

Tierno simply looked disappointed at his humiliation.

The inside of the club was colored dark-brown but lit up by so many lights it was like a colorful sun had entered the building.

The club was packed with patrons who danced on multiple floors flanked by three bars.

On top of small stages were large karaoke machines where patrons sang along with music videos being played.

"Alright, have fun but don't go crazy. Your Kanto is still shaky." Ash saw the whole group save Serena had run off.

"…..I hope nobody gets hurt." Ash said with a nervous sweatdrop.

Serena blushed a little when she saw it was just the two of them.

"So what would you recommend?"

Ash smiled.

Serena almost felt her skin tingle as she finished her small cup of sake.

"That's so exciting!" She almost shouted.

Sylveon gave a nervous look for her partner but Ash and Pikachu laughed.

"A bit stronger than Kalos wine I take it."

Serena nodded.

Ash offered Pikachu a sip of his own and the electric mouse only took several licks before Ash drank the rest.

The effects of the sake were beginning to take hold of Serena. She felt looser and less tense about being alone with Ash.

"Did you and your friends do things like this?" Serena asked.

"We were kids back when we first traveled. But even so, it's been a while since I've done something like this." Ash said with a hint of fatigue.

Serena's angst returned slightly as she looked back at Ash.

"You mentioned your friend Brock, who else was there?"

"Well, there was Misty who traveled with us in Kanto and Johto."

Serena tensed up a little.

"Who's Misty?" She tried not to sound aggressive but the Sake had diminished her self-control.

"She's the Cerulean City Gym leader. She had quite the personality, the number of times we butted heads was like two Tauros fighting over territory." Ash smiled a little thinking back while Pikachu nodded.

"I could only imagine if we had ever dated. Sheez, we'd have slit each others' throats within a month." Hearing this, Serena's angst immediately melted away in relief.

"For a second I thought-"

"Then there was May." Serena's anxious expression returned in less than a moment.

"Who's May?"

"She's a coordinator Brock and I traveled with, in Hoenn."

Ash's expression showed more fondness then when he had talked about Misty.

"…..So, you were friends with here too." Ash nodded.

"Well, I guess you probably butt heads with her-"

"Actually, we got along quite well. Much better than I had with Misty."

Serena's expression became more fearful.

Ash put his hand on the back of his head.

"We actually dated for a bit. Brock was a little jealous of me at first." Pikachu shook his head with a smile.

Serena's expression turned crestfallen.

"She was your girlfriend…"

Ash took a deep breath.

"Not exactly, we didn't really put a label on it or anything. It was nice while it lasted but in the end, we both decided we were better as just friends than as a couple."

Serena kept a cautious look at Ash and tapped her fingers together.

"So you're not together anymore?"

Ash shook his head.

"She actually got married earlier this year. His name is Brendan, he's a nice guy."

Serena felt as if an Onyx was lifted from her shoulders.

"Any other friends I should know about?"

"Well, there was Dawn. But we were just friends."

Serena nodded.

"It sounds like you made a lot of friends over the years." Ash smiled.

"I guess I did. What about you? Aside from Shauna and the others, is there anyone else you're close with back in Kalos."

Serena thought for a moment.

"Well, there is Clemont and his sister Bonnie. Clemont is the Lumoise City Gym leader, I met them at a performance his gym hosted. He's an inventor, a little nerdy too, not to be mean or anything. His sister, Bonnie, is adorable. She proposed to Shauna for him." Serena held her mouth to contain the laughter.

Ash and Pikachu nearly broke out in laughter as well.

"That's hilarious."

"You should have seen his face. Bonnie didn't quit either, she kept at Shauna for a week until she decided to play along and went on a date with Clemont to make Bonnie happy."

"How'd that go?" Ash chuckled.

Serena looked over at Shauna as she danced with Tierno and Joc with a drink in her hand.

"Well, Shauna and Clemont are living together now. So there's that."

Ash and Pikachu looked more than a little surprised.

"Really?"

Serena closed her eyes and raised her hands up.

"I guess he charmed her in the right way. Bonnie and he will be coming here for the actually showcase."

Ash nodded.

"I look forward to meeting him."

Serena heard another song begin and noticed Miette carefully moving closer to Ash.

The lustful look on Miette's face had returned as she reached for his hand.

Serena gave a fiercely-vigilant expression and quickly grabbed Ash's hands.

"Ash! I'd like to dance a little, will you join me?"

Pikachu smiled smugly at Ash's almost terrified expression.

"I don't know. I can't really dance." Serena giggled a little.

"Come on, it will be fun."

She guided Ash out onto the dance floor despite his anxious expression. Pikachu jumped down beside Sylveon and watched Ash clumsily dance with Serena. The young man almost tripped over himself multiple times and looked more unsure of himself than when he fought.

Pikachu shook his head with a big smile. The electric mouse wondered how Ash fought so well but danced so terribly.

Sylveon laughed at the display but soon saw Pikachu's right paw extended in front of her.

"Pika?" Sylveon smiled a little and took his paw with one of her tassel-like limbs.

Serena couldn't help but smile warmly at Ash's attempts to dance. As bad as they were, he was trying and she found it adorable.

Finally, Serena put her arms around Ash and pulled herself closer. Both of them blushed a little but Serena didn't lose her smile.

Ash felt her warm body against his and allowed Serena to guide him as they danced together. This continued for over twenty minutes as eventually, Serena shifted herself to where Ash's arms were around her stomach and their eyes stayed closed.

Their close embrace had also allowed Ash and Serena to subtly feel each other's bodies. The drinks and dancing only made the sensation inside their very beings that much stronger. Neither said anything, they just kept up their slow dance with their desires pressing against their willpower.

Pikachu and Sylveon watched this with captivated expressions. Tierno watched from one of the bars with an irritated look.

"Another." He grumbled. The nervous bartender refilled Tierno's beer and put it in his hand before the performer downed it.

Miette kept a close watch of the two though her face was more observant and calculating.

After another few minutes passed and Serena moved her head from Ash's shoulder.

"I think I might try another sake!" Ash chuckled a little.

"Alright, but be careful. Just have one."

"Alright, papa's not here you know." She said in a fake pouty manner while Sylveon joined her.

Ash took a deep breath as he and Pikachu got off the dance floor for a breather.

Ash kept a close eye on Serena until a strong hand grabbed his shoulder.

"You finally came out again?" Ash jerked himself around to see another young man behind him.

He was nearly a giant, standing at six foot six with tanned skin like Ash's. His hair was a short, curly, dark-brown. His body was an athletic slender with tone muscles laying it and stood with an Espurr beside him.

"Ohh, Justin. I didn't know you were here."

"Me! You're the one who's presence is an anomaly." The larger man laughed.

Ash sighed.

"How's your new job going?"

"It's suitable for me. Helping pokemon at the hospital has a nice sense of accomplishment too it. I don't get to train as much but I'm still confident for the upcoming prelim."

Ash nodded.

"Are those the performers we're hosting?"

"Yep."

"You're dating one?" Justin gave a smug smile as he elbowed Ash playfully.

Ash gave a nervous blush and looked evasive.

"No I, we…It's complicated."

"So that's why you came out. I was hoping you'd have given it up." Ash took another deep breath.

"I don't need to hear about this, Justin. Not now."

Justin's expression became more serious.

"Ash, I'm worried about you."

"You're not the only one." Ash said dismissively.

"That's supposed to make it better? Ash, I know the money is good and it gives you all the time to train. But it's not worth it, I almost died in that ring and for what, so a bunch of rich pricks could laugh at me while getting drunk? I'd hoped you'd quit with me." Pikachu joined Justin as he nudged against Ash's leg.

Ash shook his head.

"I'll quit once I'm past prelims. There's just one more fight before then. My last fight, then I'm done."

"…..What if you don't make it past prelims again?"

Ash was silent.

"I'm serious. We've both been here for three years, it might happen again. Will you stop if you don't make it past prelims again?"

"…..I don't need to justify myself to you." Justin sighed.

"Pika." Pikachu murmured in a worried tone.

Tierno stumbled around the club with a drunken demeanor. He pushed his way past numerous patrons and ignored their complaints.

He continued to drink from his almost empty glass of beer until it was empty. By them, Tierno saw he had arrived in the back of the club and was alone.

"Ahhh! Serena where are you! Cozying up to that Kanto prick! What's he got that I don't? I'm a performer like her." Tierno's vision was blurry but soon saw someone else was there.

A shady looking man wearing a trench coat with a Raticate beside him stood before three jumpy looking patrons.

Besides the man in the trench coat was another man and a woman both wearing black jackets with red R's on them.

"Do you have the money?" The man in the trench coat said as he revealed a briefcase.

The three patrons continued to shake as they reached into their pockets and took out crumbled up Yen. The patrons' pokemon seemed just as jittery as their trainers.

The two in jackets counted up the money but the patrons reached for the man in the coat's briefcase.

He jerked out a pistol and tapped it against the briefcase. All three patrons stumbled backward.

"Not until it's counted." The two in jackets finished and then nodded.

The man in the trench coat slowly opened his briefcase to reveal stacks of green vials. The two in jackets carefully handed each patron two vials.

The three looked as if they had been given salvation and quickly cracked them open by the center. Tierno looked confused as he saw them inhale what was inside. They quickly did the same for their pokemon.

The patrons' eyes turned glassy and their bodies wobbled. Despite this, they appeared to be enraptured.

"What the hell is that?!" Tierno bellowed in a drunken stupor

He stumbled over toward them before the man in the trench coat waved his pistol at Tierno.

Before the performer could say anything else he was struck by the unforgiving end of two electric batons.

Both Rocket grunts showed no mercy as they brought Tierno down and kicked his sides.

Tierno cried out in bellowing pain but the music of the club was too loud. The alcohol only slightly dulled his immense pain. Each kick and shock tore at his senses and ravaged his skin. Blood soaked his shirt and he felt his bones wane against the attack.

Blood filled Tierno's lungs and he violently coughed it out.

Meanwhile, Serena got back to the bar with an exuberant smile.

"One sake please!"

The bartender placed it down before Serena but the young woman soon took notice of a familiar face beside her.

"Having fun with Ash are we?" Serena crossed her arms and stared intensely at Miette.

"That's none of your business." Miette smiled.

"No, I'm happy for you. I think it's clear he's taken a liking too you." Serena wanted to keep her guard up but the drinks and her ever more exciting night with Ash was too much and she smiled with a blush.

"I think so too." Miette carefully moved her hand over Serena's drink and poured it in. Sylveon noticed this and tilted her head.

"Syl?"

"Not that it matters much. I'll win the showcase and that's what really matters." Serena shook her head.

"There's Miette."

Miette raised her glass of shochu.

"May the best performer win."

Serena gave a confident smile and raised her sake.

Sylveon nervously looked at the sake.

"Syl!" She tried to nudge at Serena's leg but was too late and she drank the sake. Unaware of Miette's malevolent smile under her glass.

Sylveon now shook with immense fear for Serena.

Serena felt the effects of the sake but soon felt something else. She felt dizzier and her head felt lighter. It was as if she had multiple drinks all at once.

Serena struggled to stay upright and stumbled around.

Miette continued to smile as Sylveon did her best to keep Serena on her feet.

Serena's stumble took her away from the bar and left Miette to glance across the club at Ash.

"My turn."

Justin shook his head with a heavy breath.

"I guess that's that then."

Ash nodded.

"I don't want to talk about it right now anyway. I just want to enjoy the night with….Wait a minute." Ash looked around and realized Serena should have been back by then.

"Serena?"

"Pika." Pikachu climbed onto Ash's shoulder and looked around as well.

"What's wrong?"

"Serena hadn't come back. She's had a little to drink too." Justin nodded.

"A foreigner who's had too much to drink in Saffron city. Not a good combination. We'll help you find her." Espurr nodded.

"Thanks."

The four searched across the various dance floors for any signs of Serena but found none.

As Ash and Pikachu searched they were stopped by Miette.

"Hello there. You look a little lonely."

"Miette, have you seen Serena?" She nodded confidently.

"I saw her dancing with some guy on the other dance floor."

"Which one?"

"I can't remember." Ash gave her a suspicious look.

"She looked like she was having fun. You look like you could use the same, how about it?" Miette extended her hand out but Ash pushed it aside.

"I need to find Serena."

Miette's expression turned frustrated as she saw Pikachu growl at her.

Serena continued to stumble about while bumping into many patrons.

"Hey watch it!"

"Sorry." Serena slurred.

Sylveon frantically tried to keep her partner upright but Serena was too intoxicated.

The lights and sounds around her grew dull and Serena longed to free herself of the ground. She noticed many of the patrons subtly broke green vials and inhaled their substance.

That was until she bumped into another patron. A man in his late twenties with a black mohawk and a nidoking tattoo across his face.

Two similar-looking patrons were beside him. All three had drinks in hand and a Nidorino beside them.

"Well hello there." The lead one said as he licked his lips at Serena.

"Ohh, sorry. If I could float off the ground I wouldn't have hit you." Despite her intoxication, Serena began to notice the patrons' expressions, particularly their eyes.

"She looks foreign."

"I know, that's a Kalos accent."

"I've always had a fetish for foreign girls. They can be feisty." The leader licked his lips again.

Serena stumbled backward but the patron grabbed her shoulder.

"Hold on. We haven't gotten to know each other yet."

He pulled Serena back toward him and held her against his chest.

Serena felt stemming atop his trousers and looked down.

The patron listed his shirt to reveal a pistol in his pants.

"Pretty big isn't it, why don't you feel everything down there."

Serena's eyes narrowed as she snatched the pistol from the patron's pants.

All three patrons nearly jumped as they saw Serena discharged the pistol, empty its magazine and disassemble it into pieces within moments.

"Chiappa M9-22, small and weak like other things you possess I imagine." The patron's face turned white and crestfallen while Sylveon laughed.

Serena casually tossed the pistol parts in a nearby dumpster and tried to walk away.

However, the patron grabbed Serena by her arms and pulled her back beside him.

"Hey!" She slurred.

"I'm not done with you bitch, nobody disrespects me like that." Sylveon growl and tried to pull Serena away but the Nidorino got between her and Serena.

"Let go of me!" The patron lustfully smelled Serena's hair and began to feel up her body. The young woman violently jerked against him but his friends helped keep her in place.

"Let go you bastard!"

Serena tried to kick the back of her foot against his leg but the patron simply adjusted his foot.

Serena now trembled as she felt his hands begin to lift her skirt up.

"Syl!"

Serena heard a furious grunt and felt a strong hand pull her from the patron's grip.

Her vision was still blurry but Serena couldn't mistake Ash's face as he pulled her away.

"Ash!"

Sylveon let out a relieved breath as she saw Ash and Pikachu.

Ash got between Serena and the patrons as they now moved towards her.

"Back off!" The patron snorted.

"Is she your bitch then?"

"Look, we don't want any trouble. Just let it go." The patron shook his head.

"Naw, the bitch humiliated me. It's only fair I get something in return."

"I don't want any trouble. Come on, let's go." Ash tried to leave but Serena cried out when she saw the patron pull out a switch-blade.

Before she could even cry out, Serena thought she saw something. Ash's eyes looked as if they turned blue for a moment. In a flash, he turned back to the patron and grabbed his blade arm.

After violently twisting at his wrist, Ash pounded his right hand into the patron's face and knocked him to the ground with two successive punches.

The second patron similarly pulled out a switch-blade and tried to jab at Ash. However, just like his friend, Ash easily knocked the blade away and delivered a precise kick to his adversary's face.

The third patron pulled out his own switch-blade only to feel a crushing grip press down on his hand.

Justin jerked the patron away and waved his finger.

"That's not very nice." With a punch like a ledge hammer, Justin brought this third patron down as well.

"Pika chu!" Pikachu shouted as she knocked out all three Nidorino with Thunderbolt.

Sylveon's eyes widened as she saw this and nearly blushed as she looked over at Pikachu.

Ash felt Serena wrap her arms around him tightly.

"Ash." She said with a bashful smile while the patrons nearby watched in awe.

Twenty minutes later, two police officers had the patrons cuffed and their Nidorino muzzled. All six were taken to a police car while Tierno was loaded onto a stretcher.

"Is Tierno going to be ok?" Shauna asked with her hands clasped together.

Lt Onishima looked over at Jenny as she took Tierno's statement.

"They wore jackets with R's on then." He muttered while Jenny nodded.

"I think so. He's lucky he didn't get shot. I've seen Team Rocket do bolder things than discharging a gun in a place like this."

Onishima turned to Ash and Serena again.

"That was awfully brave of you young man." Ash gave an evasive look.

"It was nothing."

"You're my hero." Serena said in her drunken voice. Shauna, Ash, and Joc all sweatdropped nervously while Miette kept her distance.

"Go easy on the sake young lady, it's quite strong. In any case, that's all we need from you. I'd suggest you get her home safely."

Ash nodded.

"Thank you."

Ash guided the others back to their hotel. Joc and Miette returned to their rooms while Ash carried Serena into her own.

Sylveon jumped up onto the foot of her bed while Ash set Serena down.

The lights were off and Ash heard Serena's moan.

She looked back up at Ash with a longing gaze. Her expression was still heavily intoxicated.

"Get some rest and drink lots of coffee in the morning." Ash was about to get up when he felt her hand on his shoulder.

Ash nervously looked at Serena again and saw her tremble a little.

"Ash, don't leave. Not again." Ash's eyes widened as he saw Serena pull her shirt up. His face turned as red as a Magmar when he saw Serena's red bra and her breasts resting snugly inside.

Almost immediately after this, she reached for the end of her skirt and began to pull it up.

"Please, stay." Serena tried to bring Ash down beside her as he trembled. However, after a few moments, Ash shook himself out of the daze and moved Serena's hand back down.

"No, Serena not like this. It isn't right." Serena gave a sad/disappointed look that was until she felt something else.

Ash lowered his head and planted a warm kiss on her cheek.

"Get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow." Ash said with a warm smile.

Pikachu nodded proudly as he jumped onto Ash's shoulder.

Despite her fatigue, Serena smiled with a deep blush and then fell asleep.

Shauna had been in the doorway watching the entire scene. She smiled at Ash as he walked out.

"Keep an eye on her."

Shauna nodded.

"Thanks again, for everything."

* * *

Katsu sat at his desk with a cigar in his mouth and a large glass of whiskey in front of him.

Jurou sat in a cushioned chair in the corner while looking through an explicit magazine.

Katsu carefully placed his cigar down in an ashtray before taking a long sip of his whiskey with an all too content expression.

"Jurou, tell Eiji to go out and get us some whores, I feel like a girl right now." Katsu bit down on his cigar again. Jurou put the magazine down and got up. However, before he could even move towards the door it was kicked open.

"Be careful what you wish for." A strong voice boasted.

Katsu nearly fell backward out of his chair in horror as he saw three individuals enter. A man and a woman wearing matching black suits with large Red R's on the center of the jackets.

Outside the office, two more of Katsu's bouncers were held outside the office by two other men wearing black suits with the same R's on the chests. Both Rocket grunts held an electric baton to the bouncer's heads while two Golbat.

The man and woman inside Katsu's office wore more customized variants of the Rocket Uniform. The man had short blue hair with green eyes while the woman had long red hair and blue eyes. Between them was a Meowth that stood on his hind legs like a human.

"Jjjessie, James, Meworth" Katsu stuttered while his body shook.

Two Mankey carefully moved from behind the desk in a defensive position.

However, both Mankey were clawed by the Meowth in two successive fury swipes.

"So you do remember us. Funny, your actions say otherwise." The Meowth purred in perfect Kanto.

"Look, I-"

"Ahhh ahh ahh." Jessie came forward ant took Katsu's whiskey from the desk and began to drink it.

"If we wanted to hear your side of the story we'd have called. We're here to make sure you get the message proper." Jessie said.

James snatched the cigar from Katsu's mouth and took deep inhale.

"Katsu, what's your job here?" James asked.

"My, my job?" Jessie grabbed Katsu by the scruff of his balding hair and bashed him into the desk as hard as she could.

Before either Mankey could respond, Meowth unleashed two successive Fury swipes. Jurou tried to intervene but felt James's grip on his throat.

The blue-haired man slammed Jurou into the wall and held a pistol to his head. The bodyguard trembled and nearly felt his trousers grow wet as he saw the firearm aimed at his head.

Jessie tossed Katura's head back up with his nose bloodied.

"When I ask you a question, I want an answer, not the question repeated back. Now tell me what your job here is?"

"My job, it's uh, running the fights here and uh"

"Wrong." Jessie smashed his head into the desk again.

Jurou and the other bouncers shook as they heard a wet cracking noise. Katura moaned in pain as he came back up. His nose was now broken and throbbed in pain.

"Money! Your job here is to make money for Team Rocket! The boss isn't happy that you haven't increased your income."

Katsu began to sweat so much the salt seeped into his broken nose and stung.

"I've kept the income steady! I-"

Katsu was silenced by the barrel of Jessie's pistol jammed into his mouth.

Meowth now came up and slowly dug his claws into Katsu's trembling face.

"Steady income, didn't you get the boss's memo. He needs all revenue to increase for the new venture. No excuses, just more money. Now when you tell us you haven't been making more money, it makes us awfully concerned."

Katsu tasted the metal of Jessie's gun and the ends of Meowth's claws.

"Now, you understand what we're saying."

Katsu nodded his head carefully.

"Good, that means at your next delivery, the amount of money will be what the Boss expects?"

Katsu nodded again.

James let go of Jurou and took the cigar out.

Katsu and Jurou saw James lick the cigar's end with a thick coat of saliva before he came over and placed it back in Katsu's mouth, then shut it.

"I think he understands the point and what will happen if we have to come back here." James chuckled.

"Before we go, you got any dead pokemon. The doctor wants them for research." One of the bouncers slowly pointed his hand to another hall before the grunts dragged him over in that direction.

"So long." Jessie said as she departed with the others.

Katsu and Jurou didn't say a word, they only trembled.

* * *

_Author's note_

_Alright, so funny story, I intended for this chapter to be longer but the second half would be better off as its own chapter, it just means they'll be at least 2 more chapters to the story, I hope you don't mind_

_The part about May is essentially a homage to how I use to be an Advanceshipper before Serena came along, I'll still never support contestshipping though, screw Drew._

_As for OC's I think I have enough, sorry if you didn't get yours in but I can't flood the story either_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's note at (xxx) play we own it(corny yes, what I envisioned, also yes)_

Chapter 5: Revelations

* * *

Pikachu watched with a distressed look while Ash furiously sparred against his makeshift punching bag.

Sweat flooded across Ash's body as he struck the bag again and again. Pikachu noticed Ash fought with a particularly ferocity that he rarely showed except during actual fights.

More than once, not only did Ash furiously shout but Pikachu noticed Ash's eyes flash blue, which almost never seemed to happen during his training.

"Pika." Pikachu nearly shook, particularly as he gazed back at the calendar again.

Ash screamed once again and his punch tore through the bag, nearly causing Ash to trip over himself.

"Will you keep it down! I'm trying to sleep here!" Ash and Pikachu heard after his neighbor banged against the wall.

Ash sighed for a moment.

"Fuck off, you bum, you're the one who blasts music late at night!" Another neighbor shouted towards the first.

Ash shook his head as a series of shouts erupted across the entire floor mixed with Pokemon cries.

Sweat seeped into Ash's eyes and began to sting. He tried to wipe the sweat out but with no rag, he only made it worse. In his blurry vision, Ash looked out the window and thought he saw someone on a rooftop near the train track but when he finally cleaned the sweat out with a rag from the ripped back this figure was gone.

Ash sighed. Now he was seeing things.

After finishing his morning training and breakfast, Pikachu climbed onto Ash's shoulder as they prepared to head out.

Both gave a long stare at the calendar, particularly the current day which was circled.

Pikachu anxiously turned to Ash who then stroked the pokemon's head.

"This is the last one before prelims. It will be ok, once we get past prelims, we'll have enough money to get past Qualifiers."

"Pika."

* * *

An hour later, they were in the trainer center with Serena.

"Squirtle, Aqua Jet around!"

"Squir!" Squirtle launched himself through the water as two Seadra and a Kingdra swarmed him with three Dragon Pulses.

Squirtle avoided each burst and swam around the three with incredible efficiency.

"Alright, we've been training hard, time to see if we have it. Dragon Pulse!"

"Squir!" Squirtle tried to bring forth the awesome power of Dragon Pulse. However, in the water, it was almost too powerful and Squirtle couldn't gain any traction. As a result, he was hurled up and into the air.

All three of his opponents unleashed Dragon Pulse but luckily, Squirtle fell back down just in time to avoid them. Squirtle landed foot first in front of Ash with a determined expression.

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Squir!" Squirtle dug his toe-claws hard into the ground and finally gained the traction need to absorb the attack's kickback.

All three pokemon were hit and hurled out of the pool.

"Squir!" Squirtle shouted in excitement.

Ash nodded.

"Well, it works when you have traction. We should be careful using it in water for the time being."

"Pikachu." Pikachu patted Squirtle's shoulder to congratulate him on his new move.

"Whirlpool." Ash and the others heard a moan nearby.

All three sweatdropped as they saw an almost miserable Serena on a floating platform in another pool. Beside her was a Phione who tried to work with Serena despite how sick she felt.

Serena appeared ready to puke at any moment but still pushed herself even as she nearly tumbled into the water.

While a little concerned at first, Ash soon smiled more warmly and gazed at her in admiration. She was pushing herself despite the pain, something he could understand.

When the performance was finally finished, Serena carefully walked across the platform to the pool's side.

Ash quickly extended his hand and Serena collapsed into his arms.

"….Merci." She moaned, not even attempting to use Kanto.

"What's worse, your head or stomach?"

Serena moaned with a throbbing look to her expression.

"Head…..I don't even remember drinking that much, sake must be stronger than I thought." Ash chuckled.

"It does, not to mention you don't have much body fat to absorb it." Ash chuckled. His comment made Serena smile a little.

"Not much." Serena said as she tried to emphasize two parts of her body.

Ash helped Serena sit down and carefully rubbed her back.

"I'm impressed you're still training so hard."

Serena nodded with a fierce expression.

"I won't let myself fall behind because of poor judgment last night."

Ash raised his fist.

"That's the right attitude."

Serena began to blush nervously as she looked back at him and trembled a little.

"Ash, I never really got a chance to thank you for last night."

"I'm just glad those pricks didn't get the chance to mess with you more. Are you doing ok?"

Serena nodded.

"Yes but that's not what I was talking about. When we got back, what I did." Ash now blushed for a moment and lowered his head.

"I'd never do something so vile." Serena smiled warmly and hugged him.

Serena continued to glance at Ash with renewed interest.

"Ash, what you did last night. With those guys, it was incredible." Ash's expression changed drastically, though Serena didn't notice.

"I had no idea you could fight so well." Serena stroked Ash's arm and felt his muscles.

However, now Serena saw Ash's expression turn wary and anxious. Pikachu was similarly anxious and extremely worried as he looked at Ash.

"Ash, what's wrong?"

"…..Nothing, I…..I just can't stand to think about what they tried to do to you." From the way Ash spoke, Serena wasn't convinced he was being completely honest.

In his eyes and in his voice she could feel something was truly tearing at him.

"Ash, I'm fine now….Well, aside from the hangover. Are you sure there's nothing else bothering you?"

"I'll be, I'm fine." Ash quickly corrected himself. He spoke much more defensively, in a manner Serena hadn't heard him speak before.

It almost frightened Serena, not for herself but for him.

After that conversation, Ash remained on edge for the rest of the day. He didn't snap at Serena or get angry but he was very defensive.

Each of Ash's Pokemon seemed to mirror Pikachu's concern for Ash as they trained and helped Serena's pokemon strengthen their moves.

Sceptile sparred with Grovyle with both using Leaf Blade.

Grovyle did her best to keep up, even as Sceptile held back his true strength. However, he began to feel more admiration for Grovyle in how hard she tried.

"Grovyle!" The smaller grass pokemon furiously kept her blades up and drew more power. Sceptile felt this against his own blades. Serena gave an excited gaze as she saw Sceptile's blades grow sharper and deliver more impact to Sceptile's.

"Vyle!" Grovyle leaped up and nearly slashed across Sceptile's face. However, at the last moment, he brought his own claws up and snapped them over Grovyle's arms, holding them and Grovyle in place.

Sceptile gave a slight smile until he felt Grovyle nuzzle her head against his.

"Vyle!" She exclaimed with a deep blush.

Grovyle sweatdropped while Serena and Pikachu giggled.

"Alright, I think that's enough for now. Her Leaf Blade has come a long way. But there's always room for improvement."

Sceptile let Grovyle down and continued to give an almost nervous look as Grovyle blushed at him.

"Do you want to keep going?"

Serena shook her head.

"We should practice our routine some more."

"Alright, Sceptile we should get back to our training as well."

Serena and Grovyle went about their routine for over a half-hour before Serena was forced to take a break due to her hang-over.

The young woman vomited into a nearby trashcan as Grovyle rubbed her back.

"….That's it, just wine from now on." She moaned.

As Serena got back up and wiped her mouth clean, she noticed Ash training quite intensely with Sceptile.

His demeanor continued to worry Serena. However, confronting him directly hadn't gotten her anywhere.

"Woah, you ok?" A new voice reached Serena. She turned around A young man with an Espeon beside him.

"Huh? Oh yes, I'm ok. Just a little, uh, stomach sickness." Serena said with some embarrassment.

"Looks more like a hang-over to me!" The young man laughed as Serena lowered her head in shame.

"You're one of those performers from Kalos aren't you?" She nodded.

"My name is Serena."

"I'm Eli, nice to meet you. I must say you speak Kanto quite well." Serena smiled with renewed optimism.

"Thank you. Ash has been teaching me."

"Oh, you know Ash. My truest rival." Eli said proudly with his hands on his hips and his chest held out.

"…Ok. So you do know Ash."

"Of course, he and I have been coming here for years. I'm due to replace Daniel Rian someday and Ash is the key. He'll keep me on edge for the next prelim coming up soon." Eli looked over at Ash with Serena.

"Ohh boy, it looks like it's one of those days." Eli said as he saw Ash and Pikachu's expression.

Serena's eyes widened and her breath hastened.

"He's been like this before?"

Eli put his hands behind his head.

"Yeah, every few weeks or so, he gets like this for a day or so. Then he comes in the next day all tired and with some marks on him."

"Marks? What kind of marks?"

"Bruises and that kind of thing. Though he denies it. I like to think he goes out and beats up Rocket Grunts, someone ought to."

* * *

The rest of the day was more or less the same. Serena kept a close eye on Ash as his weariness persisted.

Serena attempted to ask Ash about it again but he remained evasive.

Ash and Pikachu watched with Gou as Serena finished her performance training beside Absol.

"Wow, Serena's really good. I've never seen Pokemon do something like that before." Ash smiled as much as he could, given his angst.

"….Gou, how's your training going?"

"Well, I do have someone to show you." Gou had an excited look about him as he took out a pokeball and released the creature inside.

Ash and Pikachu now saw a small Spearow cleaning his wing.

"Gou, you finally did it." Ash patted Gou's shoulder while the younger trainer smiled with exuberance.

"My first pokemon I caught! It wasn't easy though, Spearow put up quite a fight." Spearow looked up at Ash and tilted his head a little.

"I'm proud of you, Gou." The boy smiled.

"Thanks, Ash. Still, training like you said has been tough work."

"Are you still struggling?"

Gou sighed.

"A little. But at least I'm not alone anymore. I've found a few other young trainers who are also struggling." Ash nodded.

"That's good, you can work together. Build each other up."

"We're trying too. But a lot of the workers here aren't all that good at teaching us."

Ash thought about what Gou said. The workers at the training center didn't really train anyone. Instead, they simply oversaw the pokemon used for sparring.

Once, Serena finished, she rejoined Ash and the other performers, save Tierno.

"Our girl Serena, powering through her hangover." Joc said as he patted Serena's back.

Ash noticed Miette stood cautiously in the distance. In fact, Miette had kept herself distant for much of the day. She had said nothing to either of them.

"By the way, how's Tierno doing?" Ash asked.

"Well, a little better. He still has some broken ribs and internal injuries the doc says."

"I'm sorry I let that happen. I should have kept a closer eye on him."

Shauna shook her head.

"We all should have. Besides you had Serena to look after." Shauna smiled at Serena who glared back.

"Well, I hope you guys have a good night. I need to go."

Serena reached out for Ash one more time.

"Ash, are you sutra you're-"

"I'm fine, Serena." Ash walked off as Pikachu looked back at her longingly as if he wanted her to stop him.

* * *

Later that night, Serena sat in her hotel room with all six of her pokemon.

Most were still asleep but Absol kept his eyes narrowly open as Serena brushed his thick-white fur.

Serena had changed into a pink short-sleeved hoodie and red shorts. Similarly, she had done her hear up into a ponytail.

She tried to take her mind off Ash's evasiveness but it kept at the back of her mind like a burrowing Diglet.

"Serena." She heard Shauna's voice with a light knock on her door.

"Come on in."

Serena kept up the pace of her brush as Shauna came in with Delcatty.

Shauna sat down beside Serena while Delcatty laid beside Sylveon.

"How's Tierno doing?"

"Ahh, you know. He wants to get back to practicing but the doctor insisted he rests longer. I was also able to call Clemont."

Serena smiled a little.

"How is your boyfriend doing?" Shauna gave a slightly defensive look.

"Would you stop doing that?" Serena giggled.

"You always think I'm trying to make fun of you two. I'm happy you enjoy being with him." Shauna sighed.

"Not everyone really understands Clemont. Especially Miette." Serena put her hand on Shauna's shoulder.

"I'll bet Bonnie was happy to see you." Shauna now chuckled a little.

"She gave Clemont a nice scolding for not being here with me before the showcase. Telling him he'd never find someone like me again."

"She wasn't wrong though." Shauna smiled a little wider.

"I do miss them both. But it will just make the showcase that much more special." Serena nodded.

"It might even top the last master class-" Shauna quickly cut herself off as she nervously looked back at Serena.

Serena had closed her eyes and gave a calmer expression but still continued to brush Absol. Several of Serena's pokemon looked back at her as well.

"Sorry I, it just slipped out."

"It's fine."

Shauna sighed.

"I know you don't like talking about it." Serena took a deep breath.

"It happened, I made some mistakes. But it's over now, we have to focus on this showcase." Serena smiled in a confident manner Shauna hadn't seen her friend do since before the Masterclass showcase.

"This time, we'll be ready. Our careers will be reborn here!"

"Sol!"

"I'm glad to see you're confident again. What's got you so fired up?"

Serena blushed a little.

"I just needed a little help."

"From Ash, perhaps?"

Serena's expression became more bashful.

"…..He's helped me refocus on strengthening my pokemons' moves."

Shauna gave a more mischevious smile.

"I saw the way you danced with him last night." Shauna put her hands around Serena.

"Could it be you've fallen for him?"

"Shauna! We, I…It's complicated!"

"It's only as complicated as you make it." Serena lost focus and pushed her brush against Absol's fin.

"Sol" Absol groaned as he felt his fun scrape off the end of her brush.

"Huh! Sorry Absol." Serena sweatdropped.

"I'll get you another one." Shauna got up and began looking through Serena's suitcase.

"Which zipper?"

"The middle one, wait! Shauna!"

The young woman yelped and fell backward with a terrified expression.

"Why, why do you have that!?"

Serena gave a slightly crestfallen expression.

"It was a gift from papa. He insisted I keep it on me."

Shauna trembled a little.

"How did you get it on the plane?"

"I shipped it here earlier and picked it up."

* * *

Eventually, Shauna left but Serena began to think about Ash again.

Something was going on with him. Something that had clearly been going on for some time based on what Eli said. What stuck with Serena the most was Ash's pokemon. All of them seemed quite nervous, not for themselves but for him.

Serena tightened the grip on her brush and open her eyes.

Whatever was going on, she was going to find out. Serena took a deep breath and got up.

She carefully walked through the room to avoid waking her pokemon until she reached her suitcase. From the middle zipper, Serena pulled out a Sig Sauer 22 caliber mosquito. She took out two magazines for the small pistol and carefully placed them as well as the gun in a concealed carry holster.

Serena turned back to see Absol standing before her.

"I'm just going to check on Ash. I'll be back."

"Sol."

"I'll be fine."

"Sol!"

Serena sighed.

"Alright, let's go." Absol stayed close to Serena as they walked through the streets of Saffron City. The stars above were drowned out by the city's immense lighting.

Even so, Serena kept herself on edge as she walked alone with Absol.

Serena remembered where Ash said he lived but she had never been there before and as such would have to keep a close eye on where she was.

The further Serena and Absol went from downtown, fewer lights guided their path. There were some street lamps and paper lanterns but the massive neon signs had all but vanished.

The streets themselves became shadier. Serena saw more of the buildings were in disrepair and far fewer people were on the street.

Those who were looked far from friendly. A few glanced at Serena as they hung around allies or old cars.

Serena subtly moved her hand closer to her gun if something happened. Absol kept a close eye on a few feral pokemon hanging about. One or two eyeballing them before frightened them off with a growl.

However, as Absol did this, his eyes widened when he saw none other than Ash and Pikachu walking into an ally.

"Sol!"

Absol nudged against Serena and pointed at the ally.

"What is it Absol?" She looked over but Ash and Pikachu had already vanished.

"Sol." Absol growled in annoyance. He pushed Serena in that direction until they entered a dark ally with a door at the end.

"Sol." Absol said as he emphasized the door.

"What's in there?"

"Sol." Absol pushed Serena towards the door but she was reluctant to approach.

This was quite literally the kind of back ally thing she had heard of in big cities but never imagined she'd be part of. Serena breathed carefully as she approached the door. Once there she hesitated for almost a minute before knocking.

A slit near the top opened up and Serena jumped away in fright. She quickly covered her mouth as a bit of smoke emerged from the slit.

"Who's there?" Serena did her best to remain quiet despite the sheer terror that now ran through her trembling body.

"This isn't funny, fuck face. Do that again and I'll kneecap you." The slit slammed shut and Serena exhaled before glaring at Absol.

Absol simply pointed at the door again.

Serena looked back at the door. Absol wanted her to go inside, he had to have a good reason.

Serena waited behind another doorway for almost fifteen minutes before she saw a couple approach. This couple didn't appear to be the shady type. They instead seemed rather well off with a Vaporeon and Leafeon beside them.

The man knocked on the door before the slit open.

"Who's there?"

"Articuno's beak."

The door opened.

"Were you the ones messing with me earlier!?"

"Fuck off, or we'll take ourselves elsewhere." The woman said.

"Right, sorry, please don't leave. My boss will slit my throat."

"Then move." The man and woman pushed themselves inside.

Serena took a deep breath and waited another two minutes.

Mustering all her strength, Serena knocked on the door again.

The slit opened and Serena dug herself in.

She saw a pair of beady eyes on the other side with smoking coming out.

"Who's there?"

"Articuno's beak."

The door opened and Serena saw a meaty man with a Pinsir beside him. The man had a mohawk and smoked a cigarette.

"Who the hell are you?"

Serena tried to appear calm as she racked her brain for an answer.

"Miette, I'm here to perform."

"Miette? As in the Kalos performer?"

"Indeed." She said back in Kalos.

The bouncer took out his cigarette and stared closely at Serena.

"You certainly look like a foreigner. I hadn't heard anything about that. Unless you're here for a patron's private performance?"

Serena grit her teeth.

"I am. She's paying me well for discretion." The bouncer and his pinsir sweatdropped a little.

"I see, right." He moved aside as Serena and Absol came in."

Serena felt a little relief that she had gotten past him. However, that relief vanished as she reached the bottom of the staircase. The hall was very clean and well maintained but Serena could see over a dozen of the well off patrons moving about.

Serena and Absol stayed very close while trying to hide their sheer terror.

As they passed a doorway. Absol stopped and nearly went pale.

"Absol?" Serena soon mirrored Absol as she saw a Dodrio and Persian fighting each other with blade talons and claws attached to them. Blood was drawn and both used inhumane fighting styles that would never be allowed in league battles.

Serena almost ran away and hid in a nearby bathroom to keep herself from crying in front of the others.

What had she gotten herself into? If her mama and papa knew where she was. Well, she knew her papa would bring a battalion of shock troopers down to drag her out.

Serena and Absol both took a deep breath.

"Why did you bring us here!?" Serena shouted.

Absol motioned back to the door.

Serena left the bathroom and then nearly froze in place as she saw Pikachu.

"Pikachu?"

"Pika." Pikachu's expression from earlier that day was back only this time far worse.

"What are you doing here? What is Ash doing here!? Where is he?"

Pikachu took a deep breath and pointed down the hall.

"Pika."

Serena and Absol carefully followed Pikachu until they arrived in a theater-like room. Inside were dozens of elegantly dressed patrons watching a fight between two young men on the stage.

Serena looked closer and then covered her mouth in sheer horror.

(xxx)

Ash grunted as his opponent's fist struck his head and beat him back a little. Facing Ash was _Lightning Fist._ Slightly smaller than Ash but faster.

Ash grunted with the jeers and insults from those who bet on him. He blocked two more punches but was kicked in the side of his left leg. The sheering pain made Ash's leg buckle and _Lightning Fist _rushed in to seize the opening.

Ash shouted and forced himself forward. _Lightning Fist_ tried to block Ash's fists but he landed a heavy blow on his opponent's stomach. _Lightning Fist_ tightened his abs and absorbed the blow but not before Ash forced his arms away and landed a kick on _Lightning Fist's _chest.

Serena trembled as she watched Ash brutally fight for the amusement of the well-of patrons. Absol had similar horror while Pikachu's was more familiar.

_Lightning Fist's _relentless attacks kept Ash on edge. Despite his best effort, the faster fighter landed three blows on his body but none on his head.

Ash endured the blows and came back with his own swift strikes. He parried two more blows and pushed back a kick. Once close enough, Ash rammed his knee into _Lightning Fist's _stomach and landed two punches on his side as the fighter recoiled.

_Lightning Fist _sidestepped until he reached Ash's side and struck the end of his elbow into Ash's arm.

"Gaaah!"

"Ash!" She shouted but he couldn't hear her.

Pikachu rushed beside the stage and began to cry out.

Ash held his left bicep as the immense pain raked him.

_Lightning Fist_ thought he smelled blood in the water and unleashed a fury of punches. Ash did his best to hold them off despite the pain in his arm. Serena had to brace herself against the wall to stay upright.

That was until she saw something. It was subtle but there. Ash's eyes almost appeared to have flashed blue for a moment.

When this happened, he brought his left arm out and trapped _Lightning Fist_ 'sright arm in it. With a furious cry, Ash beat _Lightning Fist_ 's face with two successive punches followed by a hard kick to the face.

Serena heard a sharp crunch as Ash fractured _Lightning Fist_ 's nose and brought him onto his side.

Half the audience cried out in exuberance while the other half shouted out profanity. The ref came up and held Ash's hand up.

Ash panted heavily while Pikachu let out a sigh of relief.

Serena continued to shake as she saw the various bruises and blood across his face.

Fifteen minutes later, Ash walked back into the ally with Pikachu on his shoulder.

He took a deep breath while holding his throbbing face.

"Pika."

"Not now Pikachu, I-" Ash felt his body grow limp as he looked ahead and saw a Serena standing in front of him with a very stern look.

"Serena! What are you doing here!?"

"I could ask you the same thing!"

Unknown to any of them, two figures carefully watched them from the rooftop. At first, the figure only watched Ash but after a moment turned to Serena with interest.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Ash sat in his apartment grunting as Serena wiped his face with an alcohol-filled cotton swap.

Her face was a mixture of frustration and sincere concern.

"Would you hold still!" She shouted.

Ash sighed. He wouldn't say anything but Brock was much better at this kind of thing.

Absol sat with Ash's pokemon as they watched Serena tend to Ash's injuries.

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two that lasted several minutes. When Serena's cotton swap ran out of alcohol she reached for more but the vial was empty.

"I have another one in the kitchen drawer." Ash was about to get up but Serena sat him back down and got up herself.

Serena looked closer at Ash's apartment with more concern. It wasn't filthy but was clearly neglected. She could see plenty of dust and pokemon hair. Stuffing from the poke-beds.

In the kitchen, Serena saw the residue on his counter and fragments of crumbs in the corners.

Serena looked in one drawer but saw Ash's trash bag filled with food containers.

In horror, Serena looked in Ash's fridge to see nothing but instant meals and some eggs. Ash wasn't eating anything homemade. Eventually, she found alcohol and walked back. However, on her way, Serena peeked into Ash's room.

His bed was an unmade mess and his clothes flopped together in two piles.

Her concern for Ash only grew the more she saw.

When Serena sat back down there were another few minutes of silence before Ash finally broke it.

"Serena, what were you doing there?"

"I was worried about you. All day, it looked like something was eating at you from the inside. I tried to come here but apparently Absol saw you go into that club." Ash sighed and Serena pressed harder against his bruise.

"What the hell are you doing in a place like that!?"

"…..It's how I support myself."

"Support yourself?"

Ash took out a stack of Yen as Serena gazed upon it.

"I don't have time to work regular hours and train my pokemon enough for the KPTL. I have one fight every few weeks and it keeps everything paid for. It's the best solution." Ash spoke in an almost browbeaten manner.

"Best solution! Ash you're going to get yourself hurt!" Serena put her hands on Ash's shoulder and looked at him with only sincere concern.

Ash sighed.

"I've been doing this for three years, I'm still here."

"Ash, I can see it in your pokemons' eyes. They're scared for you and they should be, if you keep this up something bad is going to happen."

"Serena you don't understand. This is my dream, I wish there were another way but there isn't. No one will sponsor me and I won't beg my mother for money like a bum. I'm a man, I have to take care of myself and my pokemon."

Serena almost scowled again as she pulled out one of his instant meals.

"This is taking care of yourself!"

Ash kept his head lowered.

"It's economical. I have to save my money for my pokemon and the training center."

"Ash, you're burning yourself down at both ends! You have to stop this, we'll find an alternative!"

"There is an alternative, I get past prelims and finally find a sponsorship. Then money won't be an issue, I'll win at Qualifiers and finally be in the KPTL." Ash spoke with more determination but Serena wasn't eased.

He saw the fear in her eyes and shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, that was my last fight anyway."

Serena's eyebrows raised.

"It was?"

Ash nodded.

"Prelim Q3 is in a few days. I have enough money until we get sponsored."

Serena held Ash closer.

"What if you don't win?"

Ash was silent and glanced over at his pokemon.

"…..I've been doing this for three years. I won't ever give up until I achieve my dream."

Serena felt her stomach tighten and hugged Ash tightly with her eyes closed.

"Then promise me you'll win so this will stop."

Ash hugged Serena back.

"I know we can win this time. We're trained harder than ever." Serena took a deep breath and pulled her head back just enough to bring her face in front of Ash's.

Both stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Serena mustered her courage and kissed Ash passionately.

Ash looked a little shocked at first but then closed his eyes with Serena. Pikachu and the others couldn't help but smile as they saw the two embrace each other tightly.

Outside the window, both figures from before continued to watch.

"How interesting."

"_Grouuu"_.

* * *

_Author's note _

_Now Serena knows the truth but what will it mean going forward_

_Prelims will be here soon and Ash will face his greatest challenge yet_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Prelims Q3

* * *

Ash and Serena sat together on a couch as Brock looked over Sylveon.

"Her coat is very vibrant. You're taking good care of her." Brock said in Kalos.

"Thank you. I've always tried my best in keeping them all healthy."

"We can keep speaking Kalos, I've always prided myself in how well I can speak the language." Serena almost sweatdropped with Ash. Serena herself was taken back with how well Brock spoke Kalos.

He spoke it even better then Ash did. He even managed to speak it without an accent.

Brock's house was relatively large. The walls were light blue with a wooden floor topped by three rugs and a few pieces of furniture. Along the walls were various pictures. One was of Brock with his large family. Another was of him and his Pokemon. Him with Ash and Misty, Ash and May, Ash and Dawn.

It also showed him in a doctor's coat and at a wedding with Ash as one of his groomsmen.

"Brock enough for the Kalos, I like to know what you're saying." Another voice reached them before the person did.

Sylveon saw a very large and ferocious-looking Seviper slither in and began to tremble in fear.

"Sylveon." Serena nervously reached for her but Brock stroked Sylveon to calm her.

"It's ok, she's friendly." Brock reassured her as the large snake approached and looked down at Sylveon with beady eyes.

Sylveon continued to shutter as the Seviper stuck her tongue out and came closer.

"Syl!"

"Croak." Seviper looked over at a Toxicroak that sat beside Brock. The Toxicroak gave Seviper a stern look and made her back off.

Brock nervously sweat dropped before letting Sylveon run back into Serena's lap. Pikachu climbed beside Sylveon and tried to ease her with his paw on her shoulder.

"Seviper, that's not very nice." Serena heard the voice again and finally saw who it came from.

The woman from Brock's wedding picture entered the room. The woman was Brock's age. She was clearly Kanto but had paler skin than Ash and Brock. She was taller than either of them and had long black hair with red ends like her eyes.

While she had a somewhat slender build but her stomach bulged with a baby inside.

"Sorry about that, she spends most of her time with larger pokemon."

Serena let out a relieved smile.

"It's fine."

"Ash tells me she's also growing stronger." Lucy glared back at Brock.

"Brock, I'll let you keep up with the Kalos for now. But I swear if our baby starts speaking it instead of Kanto."

Brock now nervously sweatdropped.

"It's fine, I can speak Kanto."

Lucy nodded.

"You speak it well." Serena smiled and blushed a little.

"Ash has been teaching me."

"She's a fast learner." Brock looked back over at Ash and saw the fresh bruises still on his face.

Serena noticed the worried look in Brock's expression, the same Pikachu regularly gave him.

Lucy mirrored Brock's face but they both saw Serena stare at them and tried to ease up.

Ash shook his head dismissively.

"You don't need to beat around the bush, she knows."

Brock took a deep breath.

"Well, that's almost disappointing. I was kind of hoping she might be the one to get some sense into you."

"Ash said he's done." Serena insisted.

Lucy and Brock looked back at each other for a moment and then back to Ash. Neither looked convinced.

"You're done?"

Ash tightened his fist.

"Prelims are tomorrow. This time we'll get past them. I won't need to fight anymore."

Serena wanted to take this as the end of the matter but Brock and Lucy's expressions concerned her.

"We've heard that before." Lucy said sternly.

Ash grit his teeth and soon looked very defensive, almost angry. But he relaxed with another breath as Serena put her hand on his. Pikachu similarly came onto Ash's shoulder and nudger his head against him.

"…It will be different this time. We're stronger than ever before."

"But what if-"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore, Brock. I'm tired of thinking about losing. I'm ready for my dream to finally come true." Ash spoke with vehement determination.

Despite this, Brock and Lucy continued to look at Ash with fear.

"…..It's getting late, Pikachu needs rest before tomorrow." Brock nodded.

"Good luck, Ash. I hope everything goes well."

"Thanks." Ash got up and went towards the door with Pikachu. Serena slowly followed but felt Brock's hand on her shoulder.

"…..Serena, we've tried to reach him for years. Lucy, Misty, and I. No matter what happens tomorrow, please try and keep him out of those fights."

Serena gave a fierce expression and nodded.

* * *

The following morning, Ash slowly arose from his bed. Pikachu carefully watched Ash as he stared out at the city with a deep and longing gaze.

When Ash looked back, he didn't just see Pikachu but all of his Pokemon.

Each looked at Ash with deep angst. Despite this Ash got up and knelt before them.

"I know we can do it this time. Just one more try and we'll be at Qualifiers. Then the KPTL, our dream."

Pikachu and the others slowly smiled with thoughts of their wildest ambitious finally coming true.

Ash stood up tall and raised his fist.

"This time."

Serena and the other performers slowly entered the Training Center. This became a much more difficult task than usual because of the much larger crowd.

The usual guide carefully led them through the thick crowd of trainers. Serena kept a vigilant eye out for Ash, having not seen him since the day before.

Shauna noticed this with a cheerful giggle while Tierno and Miette rolled their eyes.

"So this is the Q3 prelims?" Joc asked.

"Yes, unfortunately, it's going to take up most of the center today. You're welcome to watch if you'd like."

Serena nodded with Shauna and Joc. Tierno and Miette gave disinterested looks.

"Come on, it'll be fun." Joc insisted as he grabbed their arms.

"This way, I'll get you great seats."

Elsewhere, Ash was in a waiting room with a few dozen trainers.

Ash and Pikachu carefully looked over their competition before a strong hand touched his other shoulder.

"Are you ready?!" Ash smiled a little as he looked back at Justin. Beside the large man was a Large Sceptile. Around the Sceptile's neck was a brace like necklace that held a piece of Sceptilite inside.

"We're finally ready to reach Qualifiers. What about you two?" Justin locked hands with his Sceptile.

"Broly and I are more than ready."

"Tile!"

"I hope you're ready for us!" Ash and Justin looked over at Eli who slowly approached with his Charizard.

"Then again, I don't think that's possible. We've become stronger than anyone here."

"Still thinking strength is everything. That is why you'll fail again." Will emerged from the corner with Infernape beside him.

"What was that!?" Eli's eyes became a fiery inferno while his fist raised up.

Ash and Justin laughed a little before another figure approached. His path was blocked by Eli and Will but he didn't slow his pace.

"Move." The young man spoke coldly but effectively. There was a subtle but threatening presence to his voice.

It almost reminded Ash of his old Sinnoh rival, Paul. However, even Paul hadn't carried such presence to him. His voice alone made Eli and Will nearly jump away with freaked out expressions.

The young man was their age with fair skin and long dark-red hair. He wasn't broad a hulking figure like Justin but he wasn't small either. He wore deep blue jeans and a violet jacket with red linings. His eyes were a deep red, like his hair.

Almost every trainer in the room had a pokemon out beside them but this young man did not.

Ash and the others watched the trainer closely as he placed himself close to the entryway.

He didn't glance back at Ash or the others, he simply stood a few feet from the doorway and remained almost still. Not even acknowledging any of the other trainers.

"Who is that?" Ash cautiously asked.

Justin shook his head.

"I don't know. I've never seen him here before. But then again there are a lot of trainers from all over Kanto."

"I hope he's one of those arrogant pricks who thinks he's above everyone here." Eli muttered.

"You mean someone like you?" Will chuckled.

Eli scowled back at Will while Ash, Pikachu, Justin, and Broly kept a careful eye on the trainer.

Finally, Ash and Pikachu approached the trainer with a more courteous demeanor.

"Hello, I'm Ash." He extended his hand out but the trainer didn't turn to acknowledge him. At least not at first. Slowly the trainer turned to Ash and took a measure of him.

"Who are you?" Ash asked more plainly.

The other trainers all kept a watchful eye on this new competitor.

"I didn't ask for your name. I see no reason to give you mine." Ash gave a somewhat irritated look while Pikachu glared at the trainer.

"Not very friendly." Justin murmured while Broly nodded.

"I guess he's nobody then. Maybe a nobody." Eli chuckled.

The trainer nearly made Eli turn pale as he stared back at him.

"I can see all of you are beneath me already."

"How?" Ash almost growled.

The trained looked at their pokemon.

"First mistake, you like the other novices here have your pokemon out."

"So?" Will asked.

"You've just given me and every other trainer here an advantage. Now I know at least one pokemon you'll be using and can plan accordingly. Things like that determine who are worthy and who are novices."

The trainer looked directly at Ash.

"Like this one here. His Pikachu looks like an undisciplined pet the way he rides your shoulder."

"Pika!" Pikachu growled while Ash tightened his fist.

"Just wait until we get started."

"A pokemon that doesn't know their place will never serve you correctly." The trainer turned away from Ash who nearly steamed in anger. So much, that Justin had to pull him away.

"Save it for the battles." Ash reluctantly nodded.

Eli and Will similarly tightened their fists.

"I hope I get to knock him out of the Prelims." Will growled.

Serena and the other performers sat in a sectioned off area of the seating.

Beneath them was a mostly open room filled with battlefields. Both elevated seating areas were packed with audience members from all over Kanto and a few tv crews.

"TV crews!" Miette almost shouted.

"Don't even think about it." Shauna grabbed Miette and pulled her back down.

Serena noticed an excited Gou sitting near the front row with many other young trainers. However, more interesting were those sitting in other private sections. These individuals each had notepads or electronic tablets.

Many wore jackets with various company logos or similar business attire.

"Who are they?" Serena asked their guides.

"Representatives from big businesses in Kanto. They're here scouting out trainers who make it to Qualifiers."

Serena nodded. She remembered Ash talking about this. Large businesses in Kanto would sponsor trainers who could make it into the KPTL. That trainer would represent their business in the KPTL. For companies across the region, trainers representing them in the professional league was the greatest publicity they could ask for.

"Serena." She heard. The performers looked over to see Brock and Lucy sitting nearby.

"Brock, Lucy, you guys came."

Brock slowly nodded.

"Ash is our friend. We always come."

"Well, we do anyway. Misty stopped coming last year." Lucy said.

Serena almost smiled a little at that revelation.

Standing in the center of the chamber were three men. Serena recognized each of them from the various pictures at the front.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We welcome each and every one of you to the Kanto Professional Trainer League Third Quarter Prelims! I'm honored and privileged to once again host the KPTL prelims at my trainer center!" Malcolm Dohen cried through a microphone.

"I'm happy to once again be joined by Mr. Goodshow and Elite Four member Koga! Now, presenting our aspiring trainers!" The lights dimmed for a few minutes while music played. The music was modern Kanto in style and seemed to build up anticipation.

It was clearly working as well. Serena and most of the audience were giddish as they waited for the trainers to arrive.

Finally, the music picked up and the lights returned to show Ash and dozens of other trainers around the three men.

A roaring applause filled the chamber and carried itself down to Ash and the others. Ash and Pikachu looked back up at the crowd. Their angst had returned and racked through every muscle in Ash's body.

Despite this, they found some reassurance upon seeing Gou and Serena in the crowd. Justin, Eli, and Will similarly reassured him.

Tierno rolled his eyes when he saw Ash, particularly Serena's excited expression. However, this time Miette didn't seem interested in Ash.

Her eyes caught another young man. One with thick red hair and red eyes.

Mr. Goodshow now took the microphone. The old man slowly walked forward with some help from Koga and Malcolm.

"Good morning! I'm as excited as a Wigglytuff to see what these trainers and their pokemon are capable of! The tournament will consist of three rounds. Each trainer will face an environmental battle for round one. Those who succeed will continue on to a double battle in round two. Finally, round three will be the best out of three battle. When we're done, five trainers will remain. Five who will continue on to Qualifiers!"

Ash tightened his fist and steadied his breath.

Twenty minutes later, Ash stood on a platform across from another trainer in his early thirties.

Ash's opponent had the misfortune of being matched against him in the electric field.

Serena and the audience anxiously waited for the battle to start.

"Trainers Ash Ketchum and Eito Higa have been placed in the electric field. Each much chose an electric type pokemon to battle with!" The announcer cried over a speaker system.

Serena and Gou shared Ash's confidence as he looked over at Pikachu.

"Bad luck for him." Gou thought to himself.

"Ok, I have just the girl for this. Go Electabuzz!" Ash and Pikachu watched carefully as the muscular electric pokemon came out and flexed at them.

"Buzz!" She growled confidently.

"Trainer Eito has chosen an Electabuzz."

Ash and Pikachu simply smiled back.

"Ready?"

"Pika!" Pikachu lept down into the arena below Ash's platform in front of Electabuzz.

"Trainer Ash has chosen his Pikachu!"

Serena clasped her hands and gazed warmly at them.

"Do your best!"

"Begin!" The official cried.

"Electabuzz use Low Kick!"

"Agility." The Electabuzz sprung herself forward with her foot held out. Pikachu dodged this move with little difficulty and continued to reposition himself behind Electabuzz. However, the Electabuzz immediately sprung herself back at Pikachu with another Low Kick.

Ash didn't need to give Pikachu another command. He simply continued using Agility to great effect.

"Double Team!"

"Chu! Pika! Pikachu!"

Electabuzz and her trainer looked nervously at the dozen Pikachu's who now swiftly moved around her.

"Low Kick and Thunder Wave!" Electabuzz sprung herself forward again. However, as she did so, her antennas surged with electric power and pulsed out in a thick wave of electricity.

Serena held her breath as she saw each Pikachu copy get hit and destroyed by the wave until only the real Pikachu was left.

Eito and his Electabuzz eagerly waited for Pikachu to be hit and paralyzed. Once this was done, Pikachu would be helpless against Low Kick. Ash, however, wasn't having any of it.

"Iron Tail!"

"Pika chu!" Pikachu threw his metal tail forward and absorbed all of the incoming electricity.

"Electro Ball!" Pikachu channeled his own electricity and mixed it with the power he collected from the Thunderwave.

"Chu!" Pikachu hurled the Electro Ball across the battlefield. Unfortunately for Electabuzz, she was still in the air and unable to evade it.

The Electro Ball crashed hard into her face and filled every bit of Electabuzz's nerves with thick electricity.

"Buzz!" Normally an electric attack would have little effect on her. But Pikachu's power was far from normal. Not only that but the Electro Ball had been fused with Thunder Wave and unleashed the move back at Electabuzz, paralyzing her in place.

"Electabuzz!" Eito frantically shouted as his pokemon seized up and remained in place.

"Pikachu, Return!"

Serena watched with her excitement ready to burst as Pikachu dashed forward like a flash of lightning. Finally, he made contact and struck Electabuzz with the power of his affection towards Ash.

"Buzz!" Electabuzz spat out as she felt every bit of wind get seized from her body.

Electabuzz fell onto her back and went limp.

"What!? No way!" Eito screamed.

"Electabuzz is unable to battle! The winner is trainer Ash!"

Serena was the first to get up and shout out for Ash.

Joc and Shauna quickly joined in with Gou.

Pikachu quickly jumped back onto the platform and into Ash's arms.

"Just liked we hoped. We're ready for the KPTL!"

"Pika!"

Brock and Lucy gave a slight smiled but kept their optimism cautious.

From the sidelines, Justin, Eli, and Will watched Ash's victory.

"Well done." Justin said with a nod.

At the other end, the red-haired trainer watched Ash diligently.

"Our next battle will be between trainer Will and trainer Silver on the Water Field!" The announcer proclaimed.

"Silver? Who's that?" Will asked before he noticed Justin and Eli staring down at the other end of the sideline.

Will slowly looked with them and saw the red-haired trainer staring at him.

"Him, alright. That just means I get to put him in his place."

Ash and Pikachu saw this as well.

"…Silver, so that's his name."

"Pika."

Ash and Pikachu slowly walked back tot he sidelines and passed Silver who didn't even acknowledge them.

Ash tightened his fist and longed for Will to take Silver down a few pegs.

Those who wished to see the match transitioned to one of the water rooms.

There Will and Silver took their places on two platforms across from each other.

Will held his fist tightly as he stared Silver down.

"Choose your pokemon!"

Will reached for his belt and hurled the third Pokeball forward.

"Time to battle, go Swampert!" A very agile looking Swampert performed a front flip as he lept out and into the water.

Silver remained silent but did take a close look at Swampert.

"That's it then. Very well." He took out an ultra-ball and hurled it into the water.

Will and his Swampert watched carefully for what pokemon might emerge.

Ash and the others were just as anxious to see who the pokemon was.

Finally, they saw it. A monstrous Feraligatr burst from the book and revealed his immense fangs.

The Feraligatr was larger than a normal variant of his species. Everything from his fangs, claws, and back spikes seemed almost unnaturally large.

Serena and the others were taken back by the Feraligatr. As were Ash and most of the other trainers.

Lucy looked over at Brock who nodded.

"He's definitely one of them."

"Huh?" Serena said.

Brock sighed.

"It's a nasty trend us doctors and breeders are starting to see. There are people out there who are forcibly breeding pokemon to be larger, stronger, and faster than they normally would be. They force pokemon on each other and use artificial growth accelerants, and other unethical enhancements. This Feraligatr clearly comes from a line of specifically bred Feraligatr."

Serena almost gasped and covered her mouth.

"It's disgusting." Lucy almost growled.

Brock nodded.

"It's also lucrative. Pokemon like that go for a lot of money. This Silver must come from wealth."

"Begin!"

"Swampert use Muddy Water!"

"Swamp!" Swampert filled the pool with a thick wave of muck that soon enveloped Feraligatr.

Silver and his Feraligatr didn't react to this, nor did he call out a counter move. They simply waited as Swampert moved easily through the muck.

Ash and Pikachu were confused as they saw a look of empathy from Silver.

"Why is he just sitting there? Does he even care I'm about to attack? Or is this part of a strategy?" Will nervously wondered. Whatever the reason, he couldn't backtrack on his plan now.

"Hammer Arm!"

Swampert burst from the muck right in front of Feraligatr and crashed both his arms into him like wrecking balls.

Will and Swampert looked confident at first. However, this faded when Feraligatr continued to show no reaction.

"What the?"

"Hydro Pump!"

"Look out!" Swampert jumped back just in time to avoid a thunderous jet of water.

Will and Swampert sweatdropped with frantic expressions. Normally such a move wouldn't be effective but this Hydro Pump looked overpowered.

Swampert swam through the mud with ease but Feraligatr didn't stop.

Each time he thought there was a disturbance in the mud, Feraligatr blasted it with Hydro pump again and again.

Will didn't hear Silver call out commands and grit his teeth in confusion.

"What's with this guy? Swampert use Mud Bomb!"

"Slash." Silver called out.

Swampert brought forth a thick clod of explosive mud but to his and Will's awe, Feraligatr simply slashed it in half and absorbed the resulting explosion.

"Hammer Arm!"

Swampert took advantage of the explosion and bashed both arms into Feraligatr's head again.

But to their horror, it once again showed little to no effect.

"Superpower."

Feraligatr snarled and lunged forward with incredible speed

Before Swampert could get away, the Feraligatr's fist impacted him with the force of a Tauros stampede.

"Swampert!"

Ash and the others' eyes widened as they saw Swampert land on Will's platform while twitching.

"Swampert is unable to battle!"

"That's it folks, trainer Silver will advance."

"Swampert!" Will tried to help his pokemon up but Swampert's pain was beyond immense.

"How frightening." Shauna muttered.

Miette's reaction was much different.

Serena shared Brock and Lucy's concern and fright.

Ash and Pikachu saw the Feraligatr begin to slowly react. It was clear the pokemon was doing his best to hold in the pain from each of Swampert's attacks. The way Silver battled was more than off-putting to Ash and Pikachu.

There didn't seem to be any strategy or skill. He simply relied on the sheer strength and endurance of his pokemon alone. It was also clear that Silver didn't care how much punishment his pokemon took.

Justin and Eli joined Ash with digested looks.

"Poor Will. Losing to a guy like that." Eli muttered.

Will closed his eyes with immense pain as he held Swampert.

"I'm sorry Swampert…We trained so hard, it wasn't enough."

Silver returned his Feraligatr and slowly walked back to the sideline. Ash and Pikachu glared at him.

"Is your Feraligatr ok?"

"Is that any of your concern?"

"You just let him take a lot of damage, you could at least thank him for doing a good job."

"He did what he was supposed to. I've had him the longest, he knows what to do by now."

"Pika." Ash had to restrain Pikachu and soon Justin had to restrain Ash.

Eventually, Justin and Eli both battled and won, leading into the next round.

Ash stood on a regular battlefield across from a young woman with short-black hair.

"The first double-battle round will now begin Ash Ketchum and Yuri Kuno will now begin. Trainer's choose your pokemon!"

Ash held out two Pokeballs and hurled them forward.

"I chose you, Charizard! Lucario!"

Both pokemon took a position in front of Ash with earnest demeanors.

Serena felt her own excitement grow as she saw Ash's pokemon take the field.

"That's how it's going to be huh. Alright, go Machoke! Arcanine!" Yuri's pokemon emerged before her with fierce expressions.

"Begin!"

"Arcanine use Dig. Machoke use Brick Break!"

Arcanine burrowed himself underground while Machoke lunged forwards Lucario. Machoke would draw his attention while Arcane finished him off. Dig couldn't hurt Charizard of course but once he was alone, Charizard would be easy to handle.

Ash, however, wasn't having any of it.

"Into the air!" Ash held his hand out to Lucario.

The red-furred fighting Pokemon lept up onto Charizard's back and held on tight as the fire-lizard soared harmlessly away from Arcanine and Machoke.

"So clever!" Serena cheered with a slight blush.

Eli and Justin nodded while Will did so looking disappointed.

"I shouldn't bellyache." He said to himself.

Yuri grit her teeth in frustration.

"Machoke use Bulk up. Arcanine Sunny Day!"

Arcanine cried out while a ball of light emerged from his jaws and lit up the room like an artificial sun. Machoke meanwhile flexed harder as more veins appeared on his body.

"Heat Wave! Aim for Lucario!"

"Arooo!" Arcanine brought forth a thick stream of fire-power now enhanced by Sunny Day. Arcane aimed well and brought the attack right at Lucario on Charizard's back.

"Charizard use Flamethrower!'

"Grauuu!" Charizard roared out a jet of fiery power that burst through Heat-wave. The intensity of both attacks nearly made a few members of the audience sweat.

Yuri smiled as her hand turned to Machoke.

"Thunder Punch!"

Machoke lept up directly under Charizard with both of his fists sparking. With his position, Lucario couldn't do anything to help his partner either. Or so she thought.

"Low Kick!" Yuri and Machoke's eyes widened as they saw Lucario move under Lucario's body by grabbing his companion's legs and using them as supports.

Machoke quickly moved his arms in a defensive-x over his torso to absorb the brunt of Lucario's kick. Even with his Bulk Up, Machoke grunted from the power behind Lucario's attack and felt himself get hurled back down.

"They are good. But we're still going to win!" Yuri proclaimed.

"Charizard use Air Slash! Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

Lucario got back onto Charizard's back and formed two Spheres in his hands. He took careful focus and unleashed them both at their opponents.

"Extreme speed! Machoke ride his back!" Machoke now emulated his opponents as he climbed onto Arcanine's back and sped with him away from the Aura Spheres.

Charizard flew down fast to strike with Air Slash but Arcanine's speed was just as impressive as his own.

Pikachu and Ash watched carefully as the game go cat and mouse continued. Neither could gain a decisive blow but their trainers were ready to go for broke.

Arcanine turned to face Charizard and Lucario while Charizard huffed out some smoke.

"Air Slash! Swords Dance!"

Lucario channeled his energy through three projected aura swords while Charizard flew in low.

"Now's our chance. Thunder Fang! Superpower!"

Arcanine and Charizard charged at each other like two knights ready to joust. Ash, Pikachu, and Yuri watched with even more intense expressions then the audience.

"Come on, Charizard, Lucario! Go for Broke!" Serena cried.

"Now!" Yuri bellowed out when she thought they were close enough. Machoke jumped up and at Lucario while Arcanine jumped up high enough bite Charizard.

Ash smiled.

"Bulldoze!" Charizard and Lucario emulated Ash's smile and radically changed directions. Lucario jumped down at Arcanine while Charizard flew up at Machoke.

"Huh!" Yuri screamed in confusion.

Lucario crashed into Arcanine with Bulldoze as Charizard did the same to Machoke using Air Slash.

Lucario and Charizard landed beside each other standing tall while their opponents lay on the ground unconscious.

"Machoke and Arcanine are unable to battle. The winner is trainer Ash!"

"Yes! Awesome job guys!" Charizard and Lucario both nearly tackled Ash to the ground. Both were still trapped in the thrill of victory.

Pikachu lept off Ash to avoid being taken down with him.

He's doing so well!" Serena struggled to hold in her excitement as Gou, Shauna and Joc cheered for Ash while Tierno rolled his eyes again.

Brock and Lucy tentatively looked at each other.

"Here we are again." Brock almost whispered.

"He is doing noticeably better this time. Maybe he'll finally do it this time." Brock slowly smiled.

"Maybe."

Ash pumped fists with Eli and Justin as he came back up to the sidelines. Will begrudgingly did so as well after an encouraging look from Ash.

"That's how it's done. Glad I didn't have to battle you." Justin said in a proud manner.

"Don't talk too soon. We still have the final round."

"It's just me now. Who's gonna face Eli for-"

"Our next battle will be between trainers Eli and Silver." Silver nearly turned pale as he and the others turned to the red-haired trainer.

Silver's stare sent a chill down Eli's spine.

"Of course it's him."

"Be careful, Eli." Will put his hand on Eli's shoulder and gave him an almost intense look.

The ensuing battle became even more nerve-racking for Ash, Pikachu, Justin, and Will.

They watched Will's battle repeat itself for Eli as his Metagross and Luxray were battered by Silver's Weavile and Ursaring. Brock watched with particular distress as Silver's pokemon took intense punishment like his Feraligatr had. Both pokemon were clearly bred the same way Feraligatr had been.

Ash and Pikachu felt their own nerves fire up from Silver's continued lack of strategy. Will, in particular, shuttered as he saw their intense moves get closer and closer until they dealt brutal damage to Luxray and Metagross, causing both to collapse.

"Guys!" Eli held his head in agony as he watched his pokemon beaten down before him.

"Luxray and Metagross are unable to battle. The winner is Silver."

The audience applauded, though not quite as loud as they did for other trainers.

Many were similarly frightened by the way Silver battled. Miette wasn't one of them. Her face blushed as she clasped both hands together.

"So strong!"

Eli slowly returned his pokemon and almost limped back to the sidelines with his head sagging in front of him.

"We lost, I thought we were strong enough…But his pokemon…" Will and Justin both tried to raise Eli up but to little success.

"We're now ready to move into our final round. The first battle will be between trainer Ash and trainer Silver."

Ash felt his stomach tighten while Pikachu nervously looked back his way.

Serena, Brock, and Lucy shared Pikachu's sentiment. Ash simply grit his teeth as he exchanged stares with Silver.

"Time to see if your pokemon are worth anything."

Ash tightened his fist so hard he almost cracked a few finger-bones.

"…Tck. I have to put this bastard in his place…..No, I can't lose focus, not again. Not this time." Ash took a deep breath and tried to relax himself.

Serena noticed this with sincere concern.

"Ash." She said softly.

The crowd was moved to a larger chamber with three different environments. There was an aerial environment, a grass environment, and a water environment.

"Both trainers have been given their choice of pokemon and provided with environments suited to them. Each pokemon will face exactly one of their opponent's pokemon. The best out of three will win and continue on to Qualifiers!"

Most of the audience was excited in anticipation of the match but Serena, Brock, and Lucy were very weary.

"He'll be ok. He's better than this creep." Serena tried to reassure herself.

Ash continued to tremble inside as he faced Silver across from the sky environment.

Unlike the others, it appeared as more of an average battlefield only with a much more open ceiling area and wind blowers to generate artificial wind.

"Begin!"

Ash slowly reached for his belt and took out a pokeball.

"This time. This time! I choose you, Staraptor!"

"Raptor!" The fierce predator pokemon soared over Ash with a dedicated look to him.

"Staraptor. Very well then." Silver tossed another ultra ball out and revealed a Honchkrow that looked specially bred like his other pokemon.

"Staraptor use Double Team!"

"Raptor!" Staraptor made over a dozen copies of himself that each flew with the wind around Honchkrow in every direction.

Much to Ash and Staraptor's chagrin, neither Silver nor his Honchkrow seemed to react.

"They're resistant to pain but that can easily turn against him. Without pain, Honchkrow won't know when to be more cautious. We'll have to get as many heavy blows in as possible. Staraptor use Arial Ace!"

Each copy flew in at Honchkrow with immense speed and struck across Honchkrow's sides.

"Dark Pulse."

"Agility!"

The real Staraptor adjusted himself just enough to avoid the pulse of dark power that enveloped his copies.

"Haze." Silver said.

Ash and Pikachu felt their eyes widen in shock. Honchkrow filled the air around him in a thick icy mist that concealed his position. After two battles of brute force fighting, Ash had not been expecting this. But he wouldn't let it stand either.

"Blow it away!" Staraptor furiously flapped his wings and brought an end to the mist.

Honchkrow, however, was ready.

"Sucker punch." Honchkrow flew with ferocious speed and struck Staraptor in the stomach so hard it made saliva fly from his beak.

"Staraptor!"

Serena and much of the audience held their breath. Will, Justin, and Eli similarly grit their teeth.

However, Staraptor wasn't finished. Despite the heavy-impact, he shook his head and came right back at Honchkrow.

"Close Combat!"

"Raptor!" Staraptor brought forth a terrifying fury of strikes into Honchkrow one after the other.

Ash and Pikachu watched this carefully as Staraptor kept the fury going. To their horror, Honchkrow seemed only mildly annoyed.

"Foul Play." Silver said coldly.

Ash and Staraptor gave frantic expressions. Now that he had used Close Combat, Staraptor was particularly susceptible to attacks.

"Agility! Don't let it hit you!"

Staraptor's speed and evasiveness held out as he avoided each Foul Play unleashed by Honchkrow. However, the Honchkrow continued to use the attack and his speed allowed him to get closer and closer to Staraptor.

Ash and Pikachu almost shook as they saw Staraptor struggle to keep his distance.

"Staraptor don't give up!" Serena cried out.

"Come on, take him down!" Eli roared with Will backing him up.

"We'll have to go for broke. Staraptor use Sky Attack!" Staraptor continued evading while he prepared for Sky Attack.

"Foul Play." Staraptor tried to evade again but charging up Sky Attack slowed him down just enough for Honchkrow to strike his side.

"Staraptor!"

Serena held her breath as she saw Staraptor plummet towards the ground.

"Well, folks it looks like-"

Staraptor's eyes shot open.

"Sky Attack!"

"Raptor!" Before Honchkrow could even react. Staraptor launched himself like a comet and impacted Honchkrow with the full force of Sky Attack.

Now Silver showed the first sign of shock when he saw Honchkrow crash into the ground unconscious.

"Honchkrow is unable to battle, round one goes to trainer Ash!"

Miette gave a disappointed look with Tierno while Serena let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Staraptor, outstanding!" Ash had to catch Staraptor as he came down and nearly collapsed in immense pain.

"Are you ok?"

"Pika?"

Staraptor panted heavily but nodded.

"We just have to win one more battle and we'll finally be in Qualifiers!" Ash felt his heart pound faster then it had in quite some time.

Brock and Lucy watched closer.

"Yes!" Eli threw his elbow back with satisfaction after he saw one of Silver's pokemon get beaten.

Silver returned his Honchkrow with another apathetic look.

"After how much I paid for you. Looks like this might be interesting after all."

The two trainers moved over to the grass environment and faced each other again.

"Just one more win. I know we can do this, I choose you, Sceptile!" Ash's fierce Sceptile got into a fighting stance.

Serena felt a pokeball shake and saw Grovyle come out.

"Vyle!" Grovyle said with hearts for eyes.

"Oh Grovyle." Serena giggled.

"Ash, I'll admit I didn't think I'd have to do this. But I can't lose here." Ash watched carefully as Silver took out another ultra ball and hurled it forward. The ground shook as Ash and Sceptile saw a monstrous Venusaur appear before them.

Brock nearly trembled as he looked at the Venusaur. All of the enhancements from selective breeding were there but amplified more than Brock thought possible. This Venusaur was like nothing Brock had ever seen before.

"Where could he have gotten that?"

Ash, Pikachu, and Sceptile also noticed something else. Across the Venusaur were patches of light blue on his skin. On parts of his face and across his legs. Ash had never seen such a thing on a Venusaur before, even a shiny one.

"Begin."

"Razor Leaf."

"Agility!" Sceptile moved like a ninja across several trees as he evaded the incoming leaves.

When the leaves made contact with the trees, they cut through them like butter.

"Pika!" Pikachu and Ash nearly jumped in fright when they saw how powerful the razor leaf was.

"Vine Whip." Sceptile continued to leap off trees even as dozens of meaty-vines literally snapped them apart.

"Iron Tail!" Sceptile jumped from the last tree and performed a front flip. Sceptile brought the crushing force of his Iron Tail onto Venusaur's face but the grass-pokemon didn't even flinch.

Ash and Sceptile grunted in frustration.

"Sleep powder."

"Leaf Storm!"

"Tile!" Sceptile unleashed a hurricane of leaves that each picked up enough of the sleep powder to keep it safely away from Sceptile as he evaded the rest.

"Vine Whip."

"X-Scissor!" Sceptile dashed forward as lightning would. His arm blades furiously slashed back every one of Venusaur's vines until he reached the grass-pokemon's head and cut him like a striking samurai.

"Vyle!" Steam escaped Grovyle's nose as her entire body glowed red.

Serena now sweatdropped as her friends watched this.

"She reminds me of how you use to be." Lucy chuckled as Brock sweat dropped with Serena.

Ash and Pikachu smiled but only for a moment. The Venusaur once again showed no signs of pain or fatigue.

Before Sceptile could react, all of Venusaur's vines ensnared him like a swarm of snakes.

"Sceptile!"

"Pika!"

Sceptile furiously tried to break free but Venusaur's grip on him was like metal girders.

"Hyper Beam."

Sceptile's eyes widened and he became engulfed in the orange beam of pure power. Venusaur's Hyper beam shook the stadium and continued past Sceptile to rip clean through the ceiling.

"Look out!" Someone shouted.

Ash and Pikachu ducked for cover as debris fell down around them.

"Ash!" Serena screamed. She got up with Brock and Lucy in fright.

Ash avoided the last bit of debris before noticing the ref covering under a bench.

"Be careful you idiot! Do that again and I'll disqualify you!" He screamed while getting up.

Ash and Pikachu's fear returned to Sceptile. Venusaur dropped his nearly smoking body onto the ground where he went limp.

"Sceptile!" Ash sprinted onto the field and nearly collapsed beside his pokemon.

"Pika!" Pikachu nudged against Sceptile as the grass-starter slowly breathed.

"Tile."

"Vyle!" Grovyle nearly jumped from the seating only to barely be restrained by Serena.

Serena herself nearly turned pale when she saw Sceptile laid out on the ground.

Lucy shook while Brock covered his mouth. After a few moments of shock, Brock got up and rushed from the seating.

Justin grunted with Eli and Will.

"…What if he used that Venusaur on my pokemon?" Will nearly trembled in fear.

"It's ok Sceptile. You'll be ok." Ash returned Sceptile to his Pokeball and noticed Brock rushing onto the ground floor.

Ash handed Brock the pokeball without hesitation.

Brock noticed the terrified look on Ash and Pikachu's face as they stared at Sceptile's pokeball.

"Ash! I've got him. Focus on your battle!" Ash slowly nodded.

"We can still do this. I know we can."

The audience didn't applaud, save Miette and Tierno. Joc and Shauna scowled at them both, though neither cared.

"Finally." Tierno chuckled with a satisfied smile.

Ash slowly got up and faced Silver again.

"Return. Hmp, it seems you are everything I was promised."

Ash slowly got to his feet and stared Silver down once again.

"Well folks, uh, it all comes down to this."

"Come on, Ash!" Gou screamed.

Ash and Silver stepped before the water environment and reached for their final pokeballs.

Ash's hand shook as he held it.

"….We can do this. We can do this…..Our dream! I chose you, Squirtle!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle spun himself about as he landed in the water.

"That's it? How disappointing."

Silver threw a pokeball into the water and watched the pokemon case a small tidal wave.

Ash and Squirtle stared down a monstrous-looking Gyarados that appeared before them.

The Gyarados lacked markings like the Venusaur but still showed signs of selective breeding.

"I'm getting sick of this. Hyper Beam, now."

"Grooo!" Gyarados blasted the water with Hyperbeam and sent a tidal wave in every direction.

Ash and Pikachu only smiled.

"Huh?" Pikachu said.

Silver raised an eyebrow when he saw Squirtle had avoided the impact and rode the wave.

"Hmp, now we wait."

"Skull Bash!" Using the wave as a guiding agent, Squirtle readied himself then crashed his thick head into Gyarados's.

Ash and Squirtle's excitement quickly evaporated when once again, Silver's pokemon showed no pain.

"Use Outrage."

"Groooo!" Gyarados's Outrage came out in a cyclone of dragon power.

"Aqua Jet!"

Squirtle smiled confidently as he propelled himself through the water as if he were flying. Each burst from Outrage landed harmlessly away from him, despite their overwhelming impact.

"Just hit him already!" Silver finally raised his voice.

Ash had heard trainers talk like that before. The way Paul use to treat his pokemon, the way Cross treated Charizard.

Hearing it again made Ash's blood boil. Everything about Silver made his blood boil.

"Bite!"

Squirtle moved around Gyarados and bit him three times.

"Skull Bash!"

"Thunder!"

Squirtle emerged from the water once again and narrowly avoided the bolt of lightning as it crashed into the water.

Squirtle's blow finally made Gyarados stumble in the water.

Ash and Squirtle's hearts raced like Rapidash.

Serena similarly held her hands closer together.

"Come on."

"Hyper Beam!" Silver's anger returned.

"Aqua Jet!" Squirtle masterfully evaded the blow even as the pool shook around him. Now was their chance. Gyarados needed to recharge, one more blow would do it.

"Squirtle, get back above water and use Dragon Pulse!"

"Pika!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle swam back full of excitement. They were so close, years of waiting and-

Squirtle looked back and saw Gyarados was recovering from Hyper Beam faster then Ash thought. Squirtle began to shake in fear. What if he couldn't make it back to the platform in time. Their dream was so close, years of trying and now they could finally do it.

He, he had to act. He had to win now.

"Squirtle!" Ash and Pikachu nearly froze in place as hey saw Squirtle try to use Dragon Pulse in the water.

"What!?"

"Pika!"

Squirtle brought forth the power of his inner Dragon but just like before it was too much. The kickback sent Squirtle into the air as his Dragon pulse landed beside Gyarados.

"Oh no!" Serena cried.

Silver calmed his expression.

"Thunder."

"Grooo!" Gyarados blasted Squirtle with the full force of Thunder while he was still in mid-air.

The world seemed to slow down around Ash as he saw Squirtle get hit.

"Pikachu!"

Squirtle landed in the water belly up and barely moved.

"Squirtle is unable to battle! The winner is trainer Silver!"

A portion of the audience lit up in applause led by Miette and Tierno.

"Ha, serves him right." Tierno thought to himself.

"He's so dreamy!" Miette said as she blushed.

Justin, Will, and Eli felt their mouths drop open.

"…..Shit, even Ash." Eli said.

Gou sat back down with a disappointed look.

Brock and Lucy sighed as they sat back down. A familiar pain emerged on their faces while Serena trembled in sympathy for Ash.

"Ash." She muttered.

Squirtle slowly emerged from the water. Guilt and sorrow riddled his face. Almost immediately he was attacked by Pikachu.

"Pika! Pika , Pikachu!" Pikachu sparked his cheeks as he lit up Squirtle with every curse word he had ever heard Ash shout.

Squirtle turned pale and nearly collapsed. The pain inside him was far greater than even the Thunder he had endured.

"Pikachu, enough." Ash spoke calmly. He picked up Squirtle in his arms and hugged him.

"…You tried your best…..That's all that matters." A single tear fell from Ash's eye and landed beside Pikachu.

* * *

Elsewhere, Onishima sat back against his his chair while going over more case files.

Arcanine handed him another folder after he finished his current one.

"Thanks."

"Still working on that fighting ring?" Onishima looked up to see Jenny at his door.

"I'm so close, this fighting club is clearly a large source of income for Team Rocket. If I could just take it down I'd not only deal a heavy blow but I'd stop so many pokemon from suffering." Onishima almost violently looked through the files.

Jenny smiled.

"Well, you'll be happy to hear we have help from Unova."

"Huh?"

"Alright show me the criminals!" A bold voice proclaimed.

Onishima and his Arcanine saw a young woman enter the room wearing an investigator's jacket of a different style.

She was in her early twenties with dark skin, maroon eyes, and long violet hair tied back into a massive ponytail.

"Who's this?"

"Special Investigator Iris and her partner Fraxure!" The young woman was knocked over by a Fraxure that pushed her way in behind her.

Onishima and Arcanine sweatdropped.

"Geez Fraxure, you ruined my entrance!"

"Frax."

Jenny chuckled.

"Iris is part of the Unova Special Investigation Task force and a former gym leader. She almost ingle handedly took down branch of Team Rocket trying to set up shop in Unova."

"That's right, now I've come here to deal with the problem at its source. Just show me where to begin and we'll take them down!"

Onishima and Arcanine continued to sweatdrop.

"…..At least she's confident."

* * *

_Author's note_

_Yep, Ash lost again. Sometimes even if you try your hardest it doesn't work out._

_What will Ash do now? Just remember this was the third Quarter prelim, all I'm saying_

_Silver enters the stage, I hope his different style of battling wasn't boring,_

_Also, updates may be a bit longer depending on how much time I have to write_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's note: at (XXX) play Asphalt And Ablution - Halo 3 ODST Official Soundtrack very important for immersing into the scene, I highly recommend._

Chapter 7: Choices

* * *

Serena stood outside Ash's apartment building with Sylveon beside her. Clouds were already filling the sky and both felt wrecked with distress for Ash.

After the match, he had left without a word, he simply took Sceptile back from Brock and departed. Serena had asked Brock and Lucy to come with her but both had clearly been through this before with Ash.

Still, Serena wasn't about to leave him alone after what happened.

She carefully made her way through the apartment complex. Sylveon kept closer to Serena after she heard a few angry shouts coming from some of the apartments.

Eventually, they noticed Gou about to enter his apartment with Scorbunny.

"Gou."

The boy and his pokemon turned to Serena.

"Oh, evening Serena."

"Gou, have you seen Ash?"

"I think I saw him go into his apartment but he didn't say anything to me….Is he ok?"

Serena took a deep breath.

"I hope so."

When Serena reached Ash's apartment, she knocked on his door. But after a minute passed there was no response.

"Ash, Ash come on it's me." Serena pleaded but there was still no response.

Finally, the apartment door slowly opened but Serena saw Pikachu on the other side.

"Pika." He almost moaned in a bleak manner.

Serena looked inside with Sylveon and saw Ash's other pokemon lounging around with similar demeanors.

Charizard and Staraptor both lay on their stomachs. Lucario and Sceptile meanwhile leaned themselves against the walls.

Serena and Sylveon carefully followed Pikachu when Grovyle burst from her pokeball.

"Vyle!" She ran over to Sceptile who's body was still recovering from the Hyper Beam he had endured.

She immediately tried to comfort Sceptile by hugging and nuzzling against him. Sceptile grunted from his tender skin but was too tired to do anything about it. Instead, he simply sighed and endured her fondling.

As they got further into the apartment, Serena finally noticed Squirtle reveal himself. The water-pokemon didn't look depressed like the others. Instead, He appeared to be carrying a heavy burden of guilt.

"Squir." Squirtle nervously approached Charizard and motioned towards him.

"Grauu!" Charizard snapped his jaws at Squirtle in a feral manner.

Squirtle backed up until he bumped into Staraptor.

"Star!" Staraptor brought his wings up in a fury and forced Squirtle off him.

Squirtle continued to walk past Lucario and Sceptile, who either growled or tore into him with his stare like a plunging blade.

Their aggression was enough to make Squirtle lose track of where he was and nearly bumped into Pikachu.

"Pika!" Pikachu growled with his teeth clenched and his cheeks sparking.

Squirtle backed up once again until he saw all five of his companions each digging into him with their expressions.

Serena and Sylveon were horrified by this. Sylveon tried to put her tassels on Pikachu's shoulders to relax him but Pikachu wouldn't relent.

"Guys, enough." Ash finally came into sight.

He was just wearing a pair of gym shorts and was nearly drenched ins what as he emerged from his inverted sit up rack.

"Ash." Serena said softly.

Ash sighed before slowly turning to her.

"Evening Serena." He spoke on a morose tone she had never heard him speak in before. Serena put her hand on Ash's sweaty shoulder and brought his eyes back to her own.

"Ash, you left so abruptly after the match."

"…There was no point sticking around."

"But you missed an announcement, you were chosen as a runner up for Qualifiers if something happens to one of the winners."

Ash's expression remained the same.

"….Yeah, I know." Serena realized he had clearly been chosen as a runner up before and sweatdropped.

"Justin managed to win his match."

Ash nodded.

"I'm glad, he's worked just as hard as us….He deserves it."

"Ash, are you ok?"

"….I'm fine, I…I've been through his enough times."

Ash's tone held deep but repressed pain and Serena could feel it.

Each of Ash's pokemon didn't hold in the pain as he did. None seemed more upset then Squirtle, his disappointment at their loss was compounded with his own guilt.

"I'll just try again next Quarter. It's two months away but that just gives us more time to train."

"….Ash, what about the fights." He sighed again as she got right to the point.

Serena and Sylveon anxiously waited for Ash's response but got none.

"Ash!" Serena grabbed both of Ash's shoulders and almost shook him with an intense expression.

"…..I have to sustain myself and my pokemon."

Ash's pokemon frightfully looked at him.

"Ash, you promised to stop!"

"I lost, Serena…..I failed, again." Serena felt Ash tremble slightly.

"I won't ever give up though, ever. Even if I lose again and have to go another year."

"Ash, these fights, what you're doing is unsustainable! You're burning yourself down more and more. Soon there won't be anything left!" Despite how hard she spoke, Serena could pierce his outer defenses.

"…..It's getting late, Serena, and it's supposed to rain later."

Serena lost her breath and felt Ash pull away.

Pikachu looked back up at Serena and shook his head.

"….Alright, Ash you know I'm here for you."

Serena realized it was too soon after Ash's loss for him to talk. She would wait a little longer and give him time to breathe. However, out of the corner of her eyes, Serena noticed Ash had his makeshift punching bag up.

Sylveon nuzzled her head against Pikachu's before leaving with Serena.

Ash took another heavy-breath and went to his punching bag.

The next several minutes became an intense sparring session for Ash. His blows were fast and fierce but still controlled. Pikachu gazed at him closely with the others. That was until they heard his phone go off.

Ash stopped for a moment and went over to see who it was. However, Ash almost froze in place when he saw it was his mother. Rather than answer, Ash shuttered and let the phone ring until the call ended.

Ash's breathing increased, becoming faster and deeper with each passing moment.

When Ash returned to his punching bag he resumed striking it. However, Pikachu and the others quickly saw his controlled fury turn feral. Ash's blows became heavier and he ignored all fatigue and pain in him.

Ash's fists almost bloodied when they tore through the bag and into the padding within.

"Ahhhh! Ahhhh!" Ash bellowed out in pure rage. His face nearly ignited in flames and didn't stop, even as the bag was torn apart while his eyes flashed blue.

Ash pulled the bag down and continued his fury onto the couch. Flipping it forward and then continuing into his room. There, Ash grabbed his case of badges from haunt and hurled it into the ground.

Pikachu and the others were beyond horrified when they saw this. All eight badges scattered around the room and Ash stumbled back into his living room.

There he collapsed into a curled up position on the floor. His head buried between his legs while both arms wrapped around his legs.

Ash remained still and felt Pikachu nudge against him.

Charizard, Lucario, Staraptor, and Sceptile joined in but Lucario growled at Squirtle when he tried to approach.

Ash remained in this position for several minutes and finally, his pokemon decided it wasn't going to get better tonight. Pikachu jumped onto Ash's bed while the others each got back into their pokeball.

All except Squirtle. He stared at the scattered badges all around him and slowly reached inside his shell.

The water-turtle pulled out a pair of black-shades and stared at them with a painful look.

"Squirtle."

Squirtle's trance was broken when he and Ash both heard the phone go off again.

Ash feared it was his mother again but when he saw the number his eyes widened.

"Fuck, now?" Ash grumbled.

He slowly got up and answered the phone.

Squirtle peered at the monitor from Ash's room and saw Katsu on the other end.

"Evening _Shadow_." Katsu spoke in his usual self-indulgent tone and Ash was in no mood for his Tauros-shit.

"What is it!?"

Katsu chuckled.

"I heard your Prelims didn't go so well today. It can't be easy, trying so hard only to fall flat once again."

Ash moved his hand over the end button.

"Hold on! I didn't come here to insult you, I came to offer a solution."

"Squir?"

Ash looked suspiciously back at Katsu.

"What are you talking about?"

Katsu lit a cigar and began to puff it.

"I know certain people who have connections in the KPTL. You see, one of those trainers who won was intentionally allowed to win."

Ash's eyes widened.

"He was?"

Katsu nodded.

"My connections infiltrated a few trainers inside the prelims. These trainers with some help ensure at least two get the final round where one throws the match. As a result, one of their trainers is in a position to drop out and let an alternate in, for the right price."

Ash felt his nerves tingle and his heart race.

Katsu nodded.

"With my help, that could be you, _Shadow_. I could see you finally put in Qualifiers. I'd just need something from you first."

Ash balled both of his fists and ravaged Katsu with his eyes.

"You want me to be in one of your damned Pokemon fights."

Katsu tapped the end of his cigar into an ashtray.

"Just one, I know your pokemon are quite strong. One fight would rake in more money then all your fights combined. You could do it tonight, just win one fight and all your dreams will come true. You'll finally be in Qualifiers."

Squirtle began to shake as he heard the offer.

Ash, however, simply stood up with a defiant expression.

"No." Without another word, Ash ended the phone call and exhaled.

The young-man held his temples in an attempt to ease the stress from his mind.

When Ash turned, he saw Squirtle looking up at him.

"Squirtle? What are you still doing up?" Squirtle continued to shake but closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Squirtle." Ash saw his pokemon point back at the phone and then to himself.

Ash's mouth dropped.

"No! Absolutely not! Never!"

"Squirtle." Squirtle said tearing up as he pointed to himself again.

Ash knelt down and put his hands on Squirtle's shoulders.

"Squirtle, it's not your fault we lost."

"Squirtle!" Squirtle shook his head.

"…..You made a mistake. We all make mistakes…..It will be ok, I'll find a way to-"

Squirtle broke free of Ash's grip and blasted his calendar with a jet of water.

When the papers hit the floor, Squirtle ran over and violently tore up each date circled in red. Tears still flowing from his eyes.

"Squirtle! Squirtle!" Squirtle emphasized himself again with tears streaming from his eyes.

Ash shook with Squirtle and stared back at his apartment and looked at himself.

"…."

* * *

Serena sat in her hotel room and stared out the window.

All of her pokemon were asleep in their pokeballs but Serena couldn't get Ash off her mind. Despite what she had decided earlier, Serena dwelled on the fighting bag she saw. Could Ash have be preparing for another fight?

Serena held her head and looked back down.

"…"

Pikachu didn't sleep well but his fatigue from battling outweighed the stress on his mind.

However, what little piece he had was soon ended by a knocking sound.

"Pika?"

The knocking continued.

"Ash." Pikachu recognized Serena's voice and slowly opened his eyes.

However, to his surprise, Ash wasn't in bed.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu got up and looked around the apartment but couldn't find Ash.

"Ash, please just talk to me." Pikachu went back to the door and opened it like last time.

Serena came in and looked around.

"Pikachu? Where's Ash?"

Pikachu now looked just as concerned. He led Serena to Ash's room where she saw it was empty.

"He didn't go to another fight did he?" Serena lamenting the idea.

Pikachu hadn't remembered that night being on Ash's calendar. Ash also usually took him to the fights, unless Ash didn't want Pikachu there this time.

However, Pikachu also noticed something else. He quickly climbed up the cabinets and noticed Squirtle's pokeball was missing.

"Pika?"

* * *

Ash slowly walked through the club interior. His heart felt more dread now then it had for any of his previous fights. It took everything he had not to turn back and leave. But if he could just win this fight then everything they ever worked for would come true.

His next steps weighed down like cinderblocks when he saw the fighting room. Even more of the upper-class clientele were fit into this theater.

On the battle-stage, Ash saw pokemon blood being cleaned up as a Scyther was dragged away on a gurney.

Ash continued to shake when he saw this and the scorn from many patrons.

"Ahh, you did show up." Ash turned to Katsu who sat at a private table with Jurou standing guard. The larger man eyeballed Ash fiercely.

"Smart choice, you're finally doing what it really takes to succeed." Katsu sneered as he smoked another cigar.

Ash tightened his fist while Jurou stepped closer with a greater look of mistrust.

"This is a one-time thing. Then never again."

Katsu still smiled.

"We'll see, once you get a taste for this. You may never turn back." Ash grunted and forced himself to walk onto the stage.

Once there, he let Squirtle out and both took a look at their opponents.

A very shady woman with green hair and many piercings stood with a gruesome Vaporeon.

Squirtle and Ash both looked more than a little nervous when they saw this Vaporeon. The creature was littered in terrible scars. Though not all of them appeared to be from fights. Large laceration and healed cut marks tore through different areas of the Vaporeon's skin.

The Vaporeon also seemed bigger than a normal Vaporeon. However, this did not appear to be natural. Squirtle also noticed a thick shock-collar around the Vaporeon's neck.

Ash continued to tremble with Squirtle and knelt down beside him.

"Squirtle, you don't have to do this…..I can-"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle forced himself forward.

Ash took a deep breath and tightened his fist.

"Just win this one fight. That's it." The official came over with a case in his hand.

Ash and Squirtle felt their breathing increase again when they saw Vaporeon's owner take out four sets of blade-claws from the case as well as a set of metal fangs.

The woman put them on her Vaporeon while also giving him an injection. Ash tasted a vile sensation for the woman. Particularly when he saw the Vaporeon convulse violently. More veins appeared on Vaporeon while his body contorted again.

Ash couldn't even raise his hand to put the blades on Squirtle's hands. Squirtle did so reluctantly, however, he refused to put in the metal teeth.

"You'd better win if you know what's good for you." The woman growled as she took out a small device and the Vaporeon response with a terrified expression.

Despite this, Squirtle forced himself in front of Ash to face the Vaporeon.

"Our next fight, _Shadow-Squirtle_ vs _Bloody-Water_. All bets are in, let the fight commence."

"Kill him! Use Double Kick!"

"Iron Defense!"

Squirtle retreated inside his shell and coated it in thick metal.

The Vaporeon used his artificial blade-claws more than his actual feet for the double-kick.

Squirtle endured the blows, however, even inside his metal-shell, he could feel the impact from Vaporeon's enhanced strength.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle blasted Vaporeon back. However, even with his immense power, Hydro Pump only did so much damage.

"Come on, where's the blood!" A patron shouted.

"If I wanted a regular battle I'd watch the KPTL." Another sneered.

Ash and Squirtle sweatdropped when they heard this. Particularly when they saw Katsu's expression.

"Come on!" _Bloody-Water's _owner snarled. She pressed her controller and a surge of electricity racked the Vaporeon's body in pain.

"Vap!"

Ash and Squirtle hesitated when they saw this. The woman noticed this.

"Double Kick!"

Taking advantage of Squirtle's distraction, _Bloody-Water _pounced into Squirtle and ruthlessly hacked at his exposed limps using all four sets of blades.

Squirtle did his best to fight off these attacks using the blades on his own hands and feet. However, the first few blows managed to land and rip into Squirtle's flesh.

Ash had been battling with his pokemon for years but seeing Squirtle's blood drawn sent more fright through him than anything else.

Many in the audience now found the excitement they had been hoping for.

Ash grit his teeth and forced himself to act.

"Squirtle, fight back!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle slashed back and tore into the Vaporeon's skin. The vaporeon moaned in sheering pain. Squirtle forced _Bloody-Water _back but soon saw the blood on his blades and looked at how he had hurt _Bloody-Water. _

Ash similarly shook with hesitation.

"I said kill him!" The woman increased the output on _Bloody-Water's _collar and zapped him harder.

_Bloody-Water_ forced himself back up and into Squirtle, this time digging the metal fangs into Squirtle's flesh as well as the blades.

This wasn't a pokemon battle. Ash tightened his fists harder with each of Squirtle's cries.

"Skull bash!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle slashed back into _Bloody-Water _again, his blades growing heavier with each blow.

Finally, Squirtle saw his opening and rammed himself into _Bloody-Water. _The Vaporeon was hurled far enough away for Squirtle to charge in unhindered.

However, just before he could attack _Bloody-Water,_ Squirtle saw his opponent seizing up from another shock. In _Bloody-Water's _eyes, Ash and Squirtle saw a primal fear and anguish. This pokemon was being forced to fight. He was hurt, scared, and knew nothing but pain.

Now they were bringing him more pain, more suffering.

Ash couldn't bring himself to ask Squirtle to attack.

"Get him!" _Bloody-Water _got back up and pounced Squirtle onto his back. He tore deep into Squirtle's exposed limps. Blood splattered onto the floor as Squirtle cried out in unbearable pain. His muscles and nerves began to seize up from the cuts. He couldn't fight back.

Ash felt the world slow around him. He saw no emotion or intelligence in _Bloody-Water's _eyes. Only primal bloodlust. The people around him cried out in smug celebration or harsh disappointment. The people he despised, the ones he had entertained to keep his dream alive.

Now he was here, he had brought Squirtle to this place….For his dream.

"Squirtle!" _Bloody-Water _now bit down on the side of Squirtle's neck. Blood oozed out into _Bloody-Water's _mouth.

Ash felt his heart sink.

"Enough!" The ref looked over as Ash made a dead sprint towards his Squirtle.

"The hell you think you're doing?" He got between Ash and Squirtle with an electric baton in hand.

"Sto-" Ash knocked away the ref's baton hand and then punched him so hard he was knocked onto the ground.

Many in the audience stood up in confusion.

"What's he doing?"

Ash kicked _Bloody-Water _off Squirtle and snatched his pokemon up.

"Squirtle!" Ash felt himself shake as he saw the terrible wounds torn into his Squirtle.

"Squir." Squirtle moaned.

Ash sprinted out of the room as fast as his feet would take him.

"Hey, where do you think you're going!?" Jurou tried to go after Ash but Katsu shook his head.

"Let him go?" Jurou looked back at Katsu with a confused gaze.

"Huh?"

Katsu grinned while sipping down on more whiskey.

"He served his purpose."

"He ran out on the fight!"

"Which means he forfeits and his opponent wins." Jurou's eyes widened as he finally understood.

"You put the house money on _Bloody-Water_." Katsu tapped the end of his cigar into an ashtray.

"The kid's a natural fighter but I knew he didn't have the stomach to win these fights. Our winnings from this fight will get Giovanni his money and leave enough for a nice bonus."

Jurou nodded intensely.

"Oh please, you'll get your cut."

"What about _Shadow_." Katsu put his cigar back in his mouth.

"He's obsessed with getting into the KPTL. He'll be back for more regular fights, where he belongs."

Ash ran through the streets of Saffron City. The night sky poured rain down on him and Squirtle. Ash's heart pounded faster and faster as he saw Squirtle's blood seep into his clothes.

"Squirtle, please hold on…I'm sorry." Tears flowed down Ash's face just as hard as the rain.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ash reached his destination and pounded on the door.

"Brock! Brock!"

Brock slowly opened the door in his robe with an exhausted expression.

"Geez Ash, what is it!" Brock nearly fell over when he saw Squirtle.

"Please, you have to help him!"

Brock quickly took Squirtle from Ash's arms with his mouth wide open.

"What happened to him?! He-" Brock went pale when he saw the blades still on Squirtle's hands and feet.

His face slowly looked back at Ash and ignited in a fiery rage.

"So, that's it then…" He spoke calmly at first.

"Brock, I-" Ash pleaded.

"Ash! I've put up with your self-destructive habits for years now. I did it because we're friends and I hoped you'd see what you were doing to yourself. But now I see I've only been enabling you. You're not just hurting yourself anymore."

Ash continued to shake but couldn't muster any words.

_(XXX) _"I'll help Squirtle but after this, I'm done! If you won't help yourself then no one can!" Brock slammed the door behind him and left Ash in the rain.

Ash stumbled backward but heard someone else. He slowly turned and saw none other than Serena behind him with his five other pokemon.

The rain bore down on them hard. Each didn't appear angry like Brock, they only appeared betrayed, heartbroken.

"Serena, guys."

Serena slowly raised her head at Ash.

"…How could you?"

Ash tried to move closer to Serena but she punched him across his face. Despite having endured much harder punches in his time fighting, this particular one hurt more than any of the others.

"How could you!?" Serena broke down into tears.

"For years I hoped I could find you again. I thought I knew who you were but I was wrong. You're the not the boy I met at camp!" Serena ran off into the rain with tears streaming down her face.

"Serena!" Ash reached out for her but was blocked by Pikachu.

"Pika!" Ash looked at his pokemon. A mixture of rage and sorrow in their eyes as they teared up.

"Guys." Ash felt his mouth dry and his heart tear.

Staraptor was the first to leave, flying to the back of Brock's house. Sceptile followed suit, then Lucario, and Charizard.

Only Pikachu remained. He stared up at Ash with more emotion than any of the others.

"Pikachu." Ash started but the electric mouse ran past him and joined the others.

Ash stopped shaking and went still. His body felt cold, empty. After a minute he began aimlessly wandering through the streets. The few people and pokemon out noticing him with concern or confusion.

Ash had become dull to the sounds and sights around him. His expression was hollow and his eyes dead.

Finally, Ash reached a park and aimlessly wandered past the trees and through the grass. A few pokemon trying to find shelter from the rain noticed Ash.

When he reached the edge of a pond, Ash looked up at the sky but couldn't see any stars. He only saw dark storm clouds. Ash looked back at the pond but with no light, he couldn't even see his reflection. He only saw darkness.

Ash collapsed onto the ground and curled up in the soaked grass while rain poured down on him. He remained there with his eyes closed until he felt something. He couldn't quite explain it but Ash somehow knew someone was there.

He slowly opened his to see a Lucario with red and black fur standing over him. However, it wasn't his Lucario. Behind Ash and across from the Lucario was a man. The man didn't say anything he simply knelt beside Ash and took off his jacket to place it over Ash.

* * *

_Author's note_

_I won't lie this was a hard chapter to write but it is where I wanted to go. _

_Ash is at his lowest now but where will he choose to go from here? _

_More importantly who will help him and how will he help himself?_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: A New Beggining

* * *

The sun had only just begun to creep over the horizon. Lucario awoke from the sounds of Pidgey and Spearow crying. The aura pokemon stretched himself as he got up and looked around. He had fallen asleep with Ash's other pokemon inside a small pokemon enclosure within Brock's house.

The enclosure was similar to a laboratory enclosure with grass and several plants.

Pikachu and the others were still asleep. Also asleep in the enclosure were Brock's Steelix, Golem, Crobat, Sudowoodo, Forretress, Ludicolo, Swampert, and Chansey. Also in the enclosure were Lucy's various pokemon.

A Milotic who slept beside Swampert in a pool of water. An Abra, Snorlax, Cyndaquil, swing, Makuhita, and Skitty as well.

Lucario remembered seeing Seviper and Toxicroak staying in their trainers' bedroom with them.

Lucario looked back at his companions with a heavy sigh.

After a minute, he carefully walked to another room. This room was a hospital-esc room with a white interior, medical equipment and a glass healing chamber commonly used in pokemon centers.

Lucario placed his paw against the glass and looked inside. Squirtle slowly breathed with the help of a breathing tube over his mouth. Brock had bandaged the worst of Squirtle's injuries but even unconscious, Lucario could see all the pain his friend was still going through.

Lucario grit his teeth and cursed himself. He and the others had given Squirtle such a hard time for losing the match….Then there was Ash….

Lucario thought back many years prior when he was just a Riolu.

As a young Riolu, he remembered being raised by his father and his father's trainer. Until one day, they brought him to a new town.

He remembered feeling a bit scared as he stood in front of his father and looked up at a young man with raven-black hair. On his shoulder was a Pikachu.

"Grouuu." Riolu's father nudged him towards the young man who now knelt before him with a friendly look.

"Hello, my name's Ash."

"Rio."

Lucario grit his teeth and tightened both fists. Lucario forced himself out of the room and then onto a balcony overlooking parts of the city.

There he took a deep breath and tried to ease Ash out of his mind. But no matter how hard he tried, Lucario simply couldn't.

He grit his teeth in agony.

"Grouuuu." Lucario's eyes immediately opened again and almost frantically looked around until he saw another red-furred Lucario standing on the rooftop above him.

"Grouuu." Lucario responded with a surprised but welcomed expression.

The older Lucario lept down and hugged him with a warm smile.

"Grouuu." The older Lucario nodded as he held Ash's Lucario's shoulder.

"Grouuu?" The older Lucario took a deep breath.

"Grouuu." Ash's Lucario almost jerked back and began to growl.

"Grouu!"

"Grouuu!" The older Lucario growled sternly.

Ash's Lucario crossed his arms and gave a defiant look with his eyes closed.

The older Lucario smiled as he revealed something in his left paw.

Ash's Lucario saw a very familiar pokeball in the older Lucario's paw.

"Grouuu!" Lucario tried to flee but was too late. The older Lucario returned him to his pokeball and chuckled.

Brock yawned as he walked into the enclosure with Toxicroak beside him.

"Alright, let's see how everyone's doing." Brock began to check on Ash's pokemon when he noticed Lucario was missing.

"Huh?" Toxicroak looked around and stopped at hr balcony but no one was there.

Ash slowly awoke inside a bedroom he had never seen before.

The pain inside Ash from what happened was more agonizing than anything he had felt after a fight. He felt dead, hopeless, drained of life.

The bedroom around him was mostly plain, there was a single closet where his wet cloths hung, a window, and twin-sized bed which he was laying in.

"I know you're awake." Another voice said.

Ash tightened his grips on the covers for a moment.

"Get up." The voice was somewhat deep and very powerful. Ash took a long breath and forced himself up.

Ash was just in his black shorts as he slowed walked through the small apartment. A single hallway led past another small bedroom and into a living room area where Ash saw the Lucario from last night waiting for him.

The Lucario watched Ash carefully as he entered the living room.

Finally, Ash looked over at a larger man near the kitchen who stared back at him.

"I was wondering when you'd get up. Are you feeling better?" Ash sighed.

"Not at all."

"Then this won't make a difference." The man stepped forward and pounded Ash's abdomen with an iron-like punch. Ash gasped for breath and hunched over.

"That's for taking your Squirtle to those fights. You were raised better than that!" Ash shot his head up with a fiery look.

"How would you know? Felix." The man over him was broad-shouldered with Ash's skin tone, brown eyes, and spiky-black hair.

Felix looked to be in his mid-fifties. He wore a black and blue hooded jacket with a mouth covering, and a cape behind it.

The man took a deep breath and tried to put his hand on Ash's shoulder only for it to be swatted away.

"Ash, I don't want to get into this with you."

"Of course, you never wanted to be my father in the first place. Except when it suited you."

"Enough!" Ash grit his teeth and looked away.

"You've been watching me haven't you."

Felix nodded.

"We have, for quite some time. I had hoped you'd navigator yourself out of the swamp you've lived in for the last three years. But it's become quite clear you need help whether you're willing to admit it or not."

Ash's anger began to extinguish itself into pain and guilt.

Felix and his Lucario saw Ash tear up and wobble.

"I don't deserve to be a trainer…..I don't deserve me pokemon….After what I've done." Felix quickly wrapped his arms around Ash in a warm embrace.

Lucario quickly joined in.

"Ash, you made a mistake. A big one perhaps but a mistake none the less."Felix held Ash by the shoulders with a firm but caring expression.

"Everyone makes mistakes at some point…..Reduka knows I've made more than my fair share. But what matters is where you go from those mistakes. You can either hate yourself for the rest of your life or strive to become someone greater then you are now." Ash's tears didn't stop but his breathing eased.

Felix smiled.

"That's why I'm here. Lucario and I are going to get you back on the right path." Lucario nodded with his fist confidently raised.

Ash lowered his head again.

"I don't even know where to start."

"Well, I do." Felix took a deep breath.

"Ash, what do you want?"

Ash kept his head low.

"I wanted to be a pokemon master. To show my skills to the world and prove I'm worthy…Now, I just want to take back last night."

"Well, you can't."

Ash continued to tremble.

"I want to earn my pokemon's trust back…..I just want them to forgive me."

Felix slowly smiled.

"Then you must show them you're worthy of forgiveness. You must show them you are who they always believed you to be. Show them what you can be."

Felix came closer to Ash with Lucario close behind. Ash could see the painful expression on his father's face.

"Ash, I won't deny I've been an absent father. It's something I regret deeply. You deserve to know where I was and what I was doing."

Felix took a deep breath and Ash felt a strange sensation. He had felt it from time to time throughout his life. Now it felt stronger.

Ash's eyes widened when he saw Felix's glow blue. Two aura spheres formed in Felix's hands and he slowly raised them up to his chest.

Ash continued to tremble but not from pain anymore.

Felix brought his hands out and unleashed aura in a pulse that nearly knocked Ash off his feet.

Lucario helped Ash stay upright and nearly laughed at Ash's dumbfounded look.

"What was that!?" Ash screamed in astonishment.

Felix slowly exhaled with a peaceful smile.

"Aura."

"Aura? Like the kind Lucario uses?"

Felix nodded.

"Exactly, Aura is the natural essence that lives within all creatures. It is the spiritual energy that exists between us all and drives life itself. It is what connects us Reduka, the All-Father."

Ash remembered that name. Whenever his father had been around, he always mentioned a supreme being that lived before all other legendary pokemon. One who gave birth to all life. Ash had wondered if such a being truly existed.

But now his father was using aura as if he were a Lucario.

"How are you able to do this?"

Felix motioned for Ash to follow him.

Ash hesitated but Lucario guided him. The three walked into Felix's bedroom, then inside his closet.

In the closet, Ash saw more jackets like the one Felix had on but he also saw several paintings.

The first was of a man wearing a white hooded robe that concealed part of his face. The robe had a leather and bronze belt like armor around the abdomen, and a pair of armored bracers around his forearms with a blade coming out of each. The man's eyes and hands glowed a deep blue while a mega Lucario stood beside him, his own eyes also glowing blue.

The painting was older than the others and was more beautiful than any Ash had ever seen. At the base was a golden label with the name _Altair, Grand Mentor._

There was another painting of a man wearing a similar hooded white robe but his had a different design, looking later in time. He wore a cape with a red inside, armor plates on the chest, shoulders, and forearms around the bracers with two more blades coming out. This man's face was more visible, a charismatic smile on it and a light black goatee. His eyes and hands also glowing blue with a Mega Charizard X beside him. Ash looked closer at the name of the painting which said, _Vaeron the Great, savior of Kalos._

"Savior of Kalos?" The title alone intrigued him immensely.

The painting also looked to be younger than the first. The next painting. It looked to be of around the same age as the second with a younger man wearing a blue variant of the last man's armor and robe with longer raven black hair and another Lucario with him. He had the same blades but also a staff with a crystal in the center.

"_Sir Aaron."_ Ash read.

One last painting was of a woman wearing a black variant of the armor and robe but it's aesthetic looking more dragon esk. Beside her a Mega Sceptile that had more dragon-like features.

"_Circe, Draconid Queen."_

"What is all of this?"

Felix pulled up his sleeves to reveal bracers like the men and woman in the paintings. On the bracers' undersides were two concealed blades and a mega evolution keystone.

Lucario revealed his Lucarionite around his left wrist.

"Ash, these are our ancestors. All of them are Aura Guards, like us, descendants of the mighty Archeons. A subspecies of humanity closely related to Lucario, thus able to use Aura like them."

Ash thought back to his friend Riley from Sinnoh.

"Riley." Felix nodded with a smile.

"Yes, an Aura Guardian, now fully trained and part of the Sinnoh Brotherhood. From the begging, Aura Guardians have strived to protect the innocent and weak from those who would abuse power over them. Your grandfather has this power, as did his father, his mother, her father, I have it, and so do you."

Ash backed up. All of this was too much and he couldn't stop trembling.

Felix and Lucario had to help Ash stay on his feet.

"I know it can be a lot to take in at once. I didn't fully accept it until your grandfather showed me it again and again….He was quite vehement about me following in his footsteps." Felix sweatdropped while Lucario smiled.

"That's where you've been then. All those years." Felix nodded and came forward.

"Ash, you've felt it your entire life, haven't you. Your pokemon's emotions, their true selves. You feel them, you understand them. Your bond with every pokemon you meet grows stronger and faster then most trainers."

Ash couldn't deny there was truth to what his father said.

He had always felt a natural bond with almost every pokemon he met. He felt as if he understood them like he had already known them.

"Over time, with training you will be able to use this ability with humans as well. But aura's powers extend beyond that. Your fights usually went quite well for you didn't they."

Ash grit his teeth.

"I always trained hard."

"You trained hard but you trained yourself. Aura has made you faster and stronger than most average humans, it has also given you natural fighting instincts." Felix held onto Ash's shoulder tighter.

"With proper training you could become stronger then you could have ever imagined."

Ash lowered his head again.

"I don't want that power. I want my pokemon back." Felix nodded.

"Exactly, Ash, aura is the key to showing your pokemon that you've changed. Reforge your bonds with true aura connections. Know and understand them better than you ever have before."

Ash slowly looked back at his father's eyes.

"Once you know how to use your aura, you will be able to train your pokemon more effectively than ever before. Your pokemon will grow stronger with you, their prowess will grow exponentially."

"Exponentially!?" Felix chuckled.

"How do you think Daniel Rian became World Champion."

"Daniel's an Aura Guardian!?"

"Who do you think trained him?"

Ash's face went pale.

"You trained Daniel Rian!?"

Felix put his hands behind his head with a weary look.

"Daniel wasn't a very good student. He was a terrible listener, very obsessive, couldn't display any authority, often got too depressed after failures when he wasn't terrified of failing. But when he found his way, boy did he find it." Lucario began to think back fondly of his time training Daniel and his pokemon.

"Still, he's certainly made something of himself, to say the least." Ash calmed a little.

"Why are you telling me all of this now? Why not when I was younger."

Felix gave a hard sigh and a painful gaze.

"I wish I had to be honest. But every time I considered beginning your training, memories of my father came back. He pushed this life on me to the point where I had no other choice of what I could do….That's not to say I haven't enjoyed being a Guardian but I regret what it's also taken from me." Ash saw the way his father looked at him and understood what he meant.

"I didn't want to trap you in this life too. I knew you wanted something else, that your dreams lie elsewhere." Felix put his hand on Ash's shoulder again.

"Ash, I'm not asking you to become an Aura Guardian. I am, however, willing to help you become a better man. I know this must be a lot to take in but I want to make up for my absence. Help you as a father should."

Felix wasn't wrong, all of this felt like something out of a storybook. But deep down Ash knew it had to be true. Between his encounter with Riley, the other stories he heard in Sinnoh, and his time at the Tree of Beginning. He knew Aura Guardians were real, his connection with Sir Aaron's Lucario, it made more sense.

But despite all the confusion with the idea of having some kind of special power inside him. His father's offer came with something Ash couldn't give up.

Ash looked back at the last three years of his life. What he had done to himself, how he had ignored all his friends pleading with him, all of them desperately trying to help him. But he didn't listen, he didn't even tell his mother. Now it all came crashing down onto him.

If what Felix said was true, he had no choice but to be trained. Not so he could become a trainer like Daniel Rian but so he could become a trainer his pokemon deserved.

Ash began trembling again and looked back at his father with a longing expression.

"Help me. Dad, please help me." Ash almost teared up and Felix wrapped his arms tightly around him.

"I'm here for you Ash, like I should have been years ago." After a minute, Felix withdrew and turned to Lucario who had a touched look on his face.

"Alright, we'll get started here and now. The most fundamental aspect of aura is your connection with your pokemon. You've naturally made strong connections with them already but you must learn to hone those bonds and synchronize your aura."

Ash braced himself and more tears came from his eyes.

"My pokemon don't want anything to do with me anymore."

Felix nodded.

"We're going to change that." Ash looked back at his father's Lucario and saw a very familiar pokeball in his hand.

Ash's head quickly rose with a newfound optimism and his Lucario emerged from the pokeball.

"Grouuu!" Lucario snarled with a furious look at Felix's Lucario.

"Lucario." The aura pokemon slowly looked over to see Ash. He stayed still for a moment but then snarled again and raise his paws in an aggressive stance.

"Grouuu!" Felix's Lucario grabbed Ash's and growled at him in a stern manner.

Ash's remorseful expression reached Lucario but his anger at Ash over Squirtle was still too much.

"Lucario's natural power with aura will make him the best partner to start with. He'll also be the easiest to make a true aura connection with. Plus I'm not the only father who wanted to spend more time with his son."

Felix's Lucario smiled at Ash's Lucario who grit his teeth in frustration.

"True aura connection?" Felix smiled.

"You'll understand when we get there."

Lucario and Ash resumed their stares.

* * *

Ash was still in his gym shorts but also put on a work-out shirt as he, Lucario, his father, and his Lucario stood in the wooded areas outside Saffron city.

Felix took a deep breath with his Lucario and brought his head around the woodlands.

"There's aura all around us. Understanding that aura is the first step. Aura defines who we are, how we feel, it's our true essence."

Felix and his Lucario both made a dead sprint towards a large tree. Ash and his own Lucario watched with amazement as the two climbed it more efficiently than a Mankey.

Both stood masterfully on a thick tree branch and waved their sons to follow.

Ash turned to Lucario but his pokemon ignored him and dashed up the tree. Ash sighed before following suit. Both attempted to climb it like their fathers but did not possess the skill or strength.

Felix and his Lucario smiled in amusement watching their boys try to climb up the tree.

Finally, Ash and Lucario got up beside them.

"Alright, now what?"

"Look around, see the pokemon. Sense their emotions, their true nature."

Ash carefully walked out as far as he could on the branch. He and Lucario gazed upon the route around them. They could see Pidgey and Pidgeotto flying in the air or resting in trees with Mankey. Rattata running about in the grass with Sandshrew and Meowth while Ekans watched them Growlithe wrestled with each other as some Abra and Vulpix watched.

"Concentrate, move past all other distractions."

"Grouu." Felix's Lucario growled with similar instructions.

Ash and Lucario both closed their eyes while taking deep breaths.

It was difficult for Ash at first. He only heard the natural sounds of the woods. That was until he finally felt something else. As Ash focused harder, he opened his eyes and with his vision changed.

The world seemed to be blurrier, at least at first, everything was in a shade of blue.

Where the pokemon were, he saw their shapes but in different shades of blue for each. As Ash gazed at each, he could feel their emotions. Some of the Mankey were frustrated that a few Pidgey had eaten all the fruit in one tree.

The Abra thought both Growlithe were acting immature while the Vulpix thought they were cute.

Lucario could sense everything Ash did. Their eyes glowed blue consistently, much to Felix and his Lucario's excitement.

It was like nothing Ash had ever felt before. Seeing the world like this, seeing pokemon like this. It was breathtaking.

He looked back at Lucario and now saw his aura.

Lucario felt excited but deeper inside he still held deep anger, heartbreaking betrayal. Lucario looked at Ash and saw his aura. He saw remorse, anguish, and a deep desire for change.

Despite this, Lucario grit his teeth and looked away.

Ash and Lucario continued this for another hour before Felix brought them back down.

Once there, he got into a fighting stance with his mouth covering on.

"Huh?" Ash said as Felix's Lucario smiled.

"It's time to teach you how to really fight?"

Ash sweatdropped.

"What does that have to do with becoming a better man?"

"Learning to fight the right way will bring out your aura abilities."

Felix's Lucario pushed Ash within his father's reach and in two moves Felix had Ash on the ground.

"Up." Felix spoke firmly and with discipline.

Ash grunted and quickly got to his feet.

"Fine." Ash furiously came at his father with the same fighting-style that had served him in the ring. However, Felix's movements were too fast, too powerful, and too agile. Felix moved like a Lucario, acrobatic and fierce.

Again and again, Ash was brought to the ground by his father. Much to the amusement of both Lucario. Normally the thought of Ash fighting would frighten Lucario. But this wasn't like the underground matches. Plus after Squirtle, seeing Ash so swiftly put in his place was all too satisfying.

That was until, Lucario felt himself get swept onto his stomach.

Felix's Lucario growled at his son to get up. That he too needed a lesson in proper fighting.

Ash felt his frustration grow like a blazing fire each time Felix knocked him down.

"Come on, I thought you made your living as a fighter."

"Gaaaah!"

"Grouuu!" Ash and his Lucario furiously went back at their fathers but to no avail.

The sparring went on for another two hours. Mixed in with the sparring, Felix demonstrated his own aura abilities more and tried to ease Ash into it. The two Lucario's similarly worked on their own abilities.

Eventually, Felix and Lucario faced their sons together. Both fought in perfect synch with each other, covering their openings as if they had one mind. Ash and Lucario had no such skill. Both were knocked down again and again. Each time they were, Ash tried to reach for Lucario but he furiously pulled away and growled. Much to Ash's lament.

After these sessions ended, Felix and his Lucario stretched their joints in front of the trees.

"Now we're going to practice free-running."

"Free-running?" Felix nodded.

"When you're truly in-synch with the aura around you, your senses will be enhanced beyond anything they were before." Felix and his Lucario demonstrated by once again scaling the trees. Ash and Lucario gazed in awe as they saw their fathers effortlessly run from tree branch to tree branch with acrobatic skills that made circus acrobats look like novices.

In less than a minute, both had crossed over a dozen trees.

"Come on then!"

Ash took a deep breath and looked over at Lucario.

"We should-"

Lucario ran ahead of Ash and did his best to emulate his father. Ash sighed before doing the same. Lucario couldn't do it as well as his father or Felix but was able to move from tree to tree. Ash, on the other hand, struggled to do just that.

"Lucario, wait!" Ash's pokemon ignored him and continued. Even after the tree branch snapped under Ash and sent him tumbling down.

"Ahhh! Shit." Ash grunted as he hit the ground.

Felix and his Lucario looked back at him with heavy expressions.

"They can do this. I know it."

Each day was long but they began to pass much faster. Every morning, Felix would wake Ash early and begin their hard training. What each day entailed varied. On some days they would perform different methods of channeling aura.

However, each day always involved sparring, free-running, and working to strengthen his bond with Lucario. None of these were easy but Lucario seemed all but committed to keeping himself distant from Ash.

On the fifth day, Felix had them free-running through Saffron city.

While Ash had improved slightly since they began, he still struggled immensely just to keep up with the others.

Felix and his Lucario moved from rooftop to rooftop. Then between buildings through fire-escapes, window ledges, and balconies. Both moves in a continuous fluid motions across the city. Felix had chosen a more residential area with plenty of apartment buildings.

At this time of day, not as many people were home and thus they were much less likely to be seen.

Ash panted as he tried to keep up with the others. With each landing, Ash grunted and came closer to falling down.

"Lucario, wait!" Ash cried out. But Lucario simply ignored him.

When Ash tried to go off a fire-escape, the ladder went down and Ash lost control of his footing.

"Shit!" Ash yelped before he tumbled below and crashed hard into a pile of trash.

Ash's body wailed in pain but this soon extended to inside him as well. Ash lowered his head and shook as he remained in the pile of trash.

"Scor!" Ash was close to tears when he heard the familiar cry.

Scorbunny soon entered his sight running down the alley.

"Scorbunny, wait up." Gou quickly came up behind Scorbunny with Spearow on his shoulder.

Scorbunny stopped in front of Ash and gave a confused look toward him.

"Scor?"

"Ash?" Gou looked just as confused when he saw Ash in the garbage.

"Gou…." Gou could hear the lament and shame in Ash's voice.

"Ash, I haven't seen you since the last prelim. Where have you been?"

Ash tightened his fist with a hard look.

"I've been in a bad place Gou."

"You're still upset you lost?"

Ash tried to keep himself from tearing up in front go Gou.

"I was, not so much anymore." Ash spoke without hesitation. After what happened with Squirtle, Brock, Serena, and his other pokemon, the prelim seemed like nothing anymore.

"What's got you so sad then?"

"…I made a mistake, Gou. I did something no trainer should ever do. Quite honestly, I'm not sure I can ever make up for it."

Gou saw Ash baby his head within his knees. The young boy had never seen Ash like this. It was quite upsetting to Gou. However, Gou hadn't forgotten what Ash had told him either.

"Ash, are you sorry about it?"

Ash finally let a tear-out.

"More than anything in my entire life."

"Well, you once told me that you can't just give up because of mistakes you make. What matters is how you fix those mistakes. Are you trying to fix it?" Ash slowly raised his head.

"I am."

"Well, if you're trying your hardest to fix it, maybe you ought to give yourself some credit. If I had given up like I wanted to, I wouldn't have Spearow."

"Spear!" Gou smiled as he stroked his Bird-pokemon's face.

"I still have a long way to go but I'm still committed to getting there. Shouldn't you do the same?"

Ash slowly rose to his feet with a more optimistic smile.

"You're right, I can't give up now." Ash gave Gou a hug.

"Thank you, Gou."

"Are you coming to the trainer center?"

Ash took a deep breath.

"Not yet….Gou, have you seen Serena?"

Gou nodded.

"She's seemed quite sad since you stopped showing up."

Ash gave a hard sigh.

"I see. Well, keep training hard."

Unknown to Ash and Gou, Lucario had seen the entire interaction. The aura pokemon softened his expression as he looked at Ash again.

"Grouu." Ash began to scale up the side of a building again but his pain from the fall made it incredibly difficult.

As Ash struggled to get back to a fire-escape a familiar paw reached out and grabbed him. Ash's eyes lit up as he saw his Lucario's face.

"Lucario." He said softly before being pulled up.

Felix and his own Lucario shared a warm smile as they watched their sons.

* * *

More days passed and with Lucario by his side, their training showed much more progress. Ash and Lucario began to free-run through the trees and buildings with increasing proficiency.

After free-running Ash and Lucario squared off beneath the tree. Both channeled their aura and sparred with each other passionately. They would then fight together against Felix and his Lucario. Their initial struggles began to fade as the two fought together in better synchronization and with more aura abilities.

Felix and his Lucario grew more optimistic with each passing day. The days soon turned to weeks as Ash and Lucario's skills grew with their renewed bond.

One morning, the four sat in Felix's kitchen and slowly ate breakfast.

Lucario and his father slowly ate beside the table while conversing over what they had both been up to over the last few years.

Ash and Felix both red over two different newspapers while listening to a tv in the background.

Ash carefully read over job postings and circled a few while Felix did the same. With each he circled, Felix showed the posting to Ash who either nodded or shook his head.

Any Ash shook too, Felix crossed off.

"Another unbelievable victory from the rising star, Silver." Ash and his Lucario felt a twitch in their spines as they slowly looked back at the tv.

A match between Silver and another trainer showed Silver's Gyarados battling a Mantine with the same single-minded ferocity he had used back at prelims. Ash and Lucario grit their teeth but then eased back.

Ash realized what happened, happened. There were more important things to worry about. However, he did notice something else though. His Gyarados looked different, it was bigger and visibly more impressive. But most striking were as series of yellow markings across him similar to the blue markings his Venusaur had.

Felix and his own Lucario watched this with similar interest. Both gave concerned glances at each other.

Finally, a month passed since training began. Back in route 8, Ash and Lucario stood face to face with their father's behind them.

"You're finally ready, it's time to make to connection, the truest connection someone can make." Ash and Lucario were anxious but ready. The two gave dedicated looks at each other and reached out for their partner's forehead.

"Reach out to their aura, two no more, but one aura guardian."

Ash and Lucario both took a deep breath and channeled their aura. When their eyes opened, both saw each other's aura once again. Ash and Lucario's aura had changed much since training had begun.

The two looked at each other differently, in fact, they looked at each other as they had never done so before. Both reached out to the other's aura with every bit of training they had received.

Ash felt his aura intertwine with Lucario's. He could feel every one of his companions' emotions, his senses, his true self as if they were one being. Lucario felt the same with Ash. He saw the Ash he loved for years, no, he saw someone more than that.

As the aura faded from their eyes, tears soon took its place.

Ash and Lucario smiled at each other with love.

"Lucario."

"Grouuu!" Lucario embraced Ash with his thick muscles and licked his face.

"It's done."

"Grouuu!" Felix and his Lucario felt every bit of pride a father was capable of.

"You're both ready for the next step." Ash and Lucario saw Felix holding a wooden box and slowly opened it to reveal a pair of bracers inside. One was of the same design as Felix's while the other was like his Lucario's.

Both had a mega evolution stone inside.

Ash and Lucario nearly shook as they picked up the bracers.

Ash carefully placed it over his left wrist and looked at the hidden-blade with a keystone embedded inside.

"Just one for now. You're not a fully-fledged Guardian yet." Felix said firmly but still smiling.

Lucario placed his bracer on and then flexed. He and Ash gave determined smiled before facing their fathers.

"Time to see what you're truly capable of!"

Felix and Ash channeled their aura as both Lucario did the same.

With a simple touch of the keystones, Lucario felt more power than he ever had in his entire life. A colorful sphere formed around him and his father. At the same time, Ash felt a rush of power in his own body. His joined aura-connection with Lucario brought the power of mega-evolution to him as well.

When the two Lucario finished their mega evolutions, Ash and Felix glowed with a shade of reddish-blue aura all around them like a blazing fire.

Ash and Felix got into a fighting stance with their mega Lucario, then charged. With their auras in synch, Ash and Lucario each met their opponent with the same exact movements at the same time. Felix and his own Lucario did the same.

Two fights between two fathers and two sons were all but identical. Ash and Lucario fought as if they were one being.

Felix and his Lucario now had to fight with extra-veracity just to keep up with their sons. Both had learned incredibly well in just a month of training. Not just in fighting but in the use of aura.

When they finished, Ash and Lucario stood before their fathers who looked more than a little tired.

"Oh, to have youth again." Felix huffed while his Lucario panted.

"I must admit, you learn a lot faster then Daniel did." Felix felt Ash's arms wrap around him tightly.

"Thank you, dad, for everything." Felix nearly teared up.

"I should have done this a long time ago…..I'm sorry it took me so long."

Lucario and his father watched this with warm smiles.

Later that day, he joined Ash in front of a phone screen. Ash wore a black and red hooded jacket similar to Felix's.

"You finally decide to call me back! I haven't heard from you in over a month!" Delia screamed over the phone as Ash sweatdropped.

"Sorry, I've been doing some self-evaluation. It's taken a lot of time."

"Self-evaluation?" Ash took a deep breath but felt Lucario's paw on his shoulder.

"Mom, I've been in a bad place for the last few years. It's been a struggle and I've kept it from you."

"What!? Ash what's wrong?!" Delia had a frantic look about her.

"I made some poor decisions to keep myself moving towards my dream…..I'm sorry I didn't come to you for help but things have changed." Ash smiled with life in his face.

"Changed? How?"

"I've finally accepted help." Felix and his Lucario smiled from the corner.

"Ash, I'm glad to hear you're doing well. But if you need more help, you know I'm here." Ash nodded.

"Thank you, mom."

"Wait a minute, that's not your apartment. Where are you?"

Ash and Felix both sweatdropped.

"We, uh….."

Felix carefully tried to sneak away but Delia saw him.

"Felix!" The Aura Guardian turned pale and froze in place.

"Shit."

"Felix! You're in Saffron city! What do you think you're doing!? Have you been there this entire time!?"

Felix's Lucario gave an all too amused look as his partner's expression turned to unrelenting terror.

"Delia, I-"

"If you think you're weaseling your way out of this you're sadly mistaken! All those years of running off on your little adventures with your Aura Guardians while I watched after Ash!"

"I spent many years traveling." Ash corrected as Delia nervously sweatdropped.

"That's beside the point. You're not getting out of this Felix-" Ash saw his father swiftly snap his fingers and generate a short burst of aura that hit the phone's end button.

Felix let out a weary exhale.

"She's still as passionate as ever." Ash began to think about Serena again. She hadn't ever truly left his mind since that fateful night.

Now perhaps, she'd be willing to at least talk to him again.

"That girl you told me about, Serena. I assume you want to make amends with her as well." Ash nodded.

"Yes, I do. I owe her that at the very least." Felix nodded.

"If you truly care for her, don't let this opportunity slip away. Don't be like me."

Ash nodded.

"So, what's next?" Felix took a deep breath.

"Ash, you've mastered the principles of being an Aura Guardian. Further training would take much more time, time you need to spend elsewhere."

Ash understood what Felix meant.

"I can still give you help when you need it but for what you want, I'd suggest individual mastery. You have the tools to do so, all you need is to keep practicing."

"Alright!" Ash raised his fist with Lucario.

"Now, it's time to man up." Ash gave his father one more hug before feeling something placed in his hand.

Ash looked down and saw two more mega evolution stones.

"For your Sceptile and Charizard." Ash felt his smile widen.

"Thanks, dad, for everything."

* * *

At the Trainer Center, Serena's Phione danced with her around the pool of water.

"Charm, Bubblebeam!"

"Phione!" Her pokemon winked to let out dozens of small hearts that were in turn enveloped by bubbles, enhancing their colors and movement.

Serena picked up Phione and held her under the light-show while they spun.

Upon completion, Phione looked very pleased with how they had performed. However, on Serena's face, Phione only saw the same cold and distant expression she had displayed for a month now.

"Good job, Phione." She said plainly before returning her pokemon.

"Serena! There you are! Come on we're heading back!" Shauna cried out from the room entrance.

The young-Kalos woman took a deep breath and nodded.

"Coming." Shauna saw Serena's face with concern and kept close beside her.

"Serena, you're not still upset over what happened with Ash are you?"

Serena remained silent.

Shauna felt stupid for asking such a question. Of course, she was still upset. Serena had a crush on Ash since she was a little girl and now finally had a chance to be with him only for it to flip away.

"You know I'm always here to talk."

"I know, Shauna. Thanks."

"I feel like I'm getting better at Kanto. What do you say tonight we go out just the two of us. Have some fun?" Serena smiled a little but then sighed.

"Thanks but no thanks." Shauna wished she knew what to say and felt a little helpless. Perhaps whatever Serena was going through, she could get herself through.

"Alright, let me know if you change your mind."

When Serena got back to their hotel, she slowly walked through the lobby until she realized Tierno was in front of her.

An eager/excited look was on his face.

"Ohh, Tierno, I didn't see you."

"I saw you though. I understand you've been feeling a bit lonely lately, let me fix that."

"Huh?" Serena's face was more than a little confused.

Tierno got onto his knees and held his hands out at Serena.

"Please, let me take you out for a night of wonders and amazement!"

"No thanks." Serena said plainly as she walked past him.

Tierno got up and slowly looked back at Serena.

"….I guess that's that then….." He sighed before walking away.

Miette sat in the hotel's bar while staring at a tv screen showing another of Silver's matches. Miette was giddish as she saw his Ursaring, which now had red markings on his body, hurl a Machamp across the entire battlefield.

"Another unbelievable win for the rising star, Silver."

"Another Shochu." Miette nearly shook as she recognized the voice and looked over to see Silver a few seats down.

The red-haired trainer slowly drank his liquor as the bartender glanced at him and the tv.

"Impressive match."

Silver didn't respond. However, he finally noticed Miette now sitting beside him.

"Evening, you were looking a bit lonely." Silver glanced at her for a moment but then went back to his drink.

"You're one of those performers from Kalos aren't you."

"I'm Miette, the greatest performer in all of Kalos."

"I've never been a fan of performances."

Miette smirked.

"You've never seen me perform."

"….You're certainly confident enough. I like that."

Serena was back in her room and stared out the window. Braixen and the others were beside her as she did so.

Each of them knew why Serena had left Ash but that didn't make it any easier. Each of them had taken a liking to Ash and his pokemon. Sylveon and Grovyle in particular. Not only that but Serena had been truly happy with him.

She hadn't lost her drive to win the showcase but she seemed colder, more distant.

Serena herself couldn't get Ash out of her mind. For so long she had hoped to find Ash. When she finally did, he had been everything she hoped he was, at least at first. Serena wanted to help him but it was clear Ash wasn't ready to help himself.

…Still, she hadn't seen him since that night…Which meant there was only one place he could be going…..Which could only lead to one thing.

Serena tightened her fist before igniting her eyes in a fiery determination.

"Braix?"

Iris and Lieutenant Onishima carefully placed notes on a board. Their Arcanine and Fraxure handed each more pictures to put up.

"Alright, we got Kubo on an illegal substance charge here. A special steroid for enhancing pokemon." Onishima said.

Iris nodded.

"We're definitely closing in on the fight club. To think about all those poor pokemon being treated so horribly. I'm ready to rip apart those bastards!" Iris's body nearly ignited in flames as her Fraxure roared.

Onishima nodded just as vehemently.

"Hey, we've got a visitor." The two looked back to see Jenny with none other than Serena.

"Hey, you're that girl from the club." Serena nodded.

"Who?" Iris asked.

"I have information on a pokemon fight club." The two investigators felt their eyes widened.

* * *

Brock looked over the test results from his patient's Beedrill.

"Alright, looks like the burns aren't as bad as I thought. I'll just need to-"

He was interrupted by a knock at the front door.

"Brock my feet are ready to fall all, please get it." Lucy moaned from the bedroom.

"I've got it, my love." Brock eventually opened his front door and nearly stepped backward when he saw Ash standing there with Lucario.

"Hello, Brock." Ash said softly.

"Ash." Brock was at a loss for words.

"I know we didn't part on good terms. But could we come in?" Brock saw Lucario's demeanor towards Ash and took a deep breath.

"Sure." Brock moved aside to let them in.

"I wondered where Lucario had gone. You're looking well, Ash." Brock noticed the fatigue that had plagued Ash over the last few years was gone.

He looked more vibrant, colorful, and just alive in general. Not only that but under his strange jacket, Brock could tell Ash was clearly physically stronger than he had been even before.

"Thanks."

"Ash, what have you been up to?"

Ash took a deep breath.

"I've been doing some soul searching. Reevaluating my life." Brock looked particularly interested when he heard this.

"You have?"

"Brock, I owe you a serious apology. You've always been a true friend since we were kids. You tried to help me for years but I wouldn't listen. I was too stubborn to realize you were looking out for me. I'm sorry it took such a horrible decision for me to realize that."

Brock sighed.

"Well, I'm glad to hear you've finally made some changes."

"….Brock, are they still here?" He slowly nodded.

"…..If you'll let me, I need to make things right with them." Lucario came up beside Ash and bolster his strength with a firm grip on his shoulder.

Pikachu slowly drank from a watering bowl while Sceptile, Staraptor, and Charizard interacted with the other pokemon.

"Guys." All four pokemon went still for a moment but then felt their heads look over towards the entrance.

Standing there was Ash with Lucario beside him.

Ash's heart raced as he gazed upon his pokemon for the first time in a month. With his newfound abilities, Ash could sense their aura. None of them seemed as upset as they had been that fateful night but they still hesitated greatly.

"Grouu." Lucario growled as he tried to reassure them about Ash and what kind of man he was now.

"….I know you haven't forgotten what I did. I'll never forget it for the rest of my life. I just want to talk."

His pokemon remained where they were but kept their eyes on Ash.

"I know I can't take back what I did. But this last month, I've strived to make myself better. Become a trainer you deserve."

"Grouuu!" Lucario continued to growl in support of Ash.

However, Ash saw another pokemon reveal himself from the water. His heart ached when he saw none other than Squirtle approach with a heartfelt expression.

"Squirtle." Ash said with tears in his eyes.

Brock had done his job well. Squirtle's injuries were all healed, however, a number of scars did remain.

Ash knelt before Squirtle and shook.

"Squirtle, I'm so sorry. I let my ambition cloud my judgment. You felt responsible for what happened at prelims….It wasn't your fault, I never should have let you go into that fight…..I should have put a stop to it and talked sense into you…..Squirtle, I don't know if you can ever find it in your heart to forgive me, but I want you to know I-"

"Squirtle!" Ash was cut off when Squirtle jumped into Ash's arms and hugged him with every bit of strength the water-turtle possessed.

Tears streamed down both their eyes as Ash reached out to Squirtle's aura.

Ash's other pokemon felt it as well. Ash reaching out to them and showing his new self. It wasn't just the Aura either, through his actions and Lucario's words, they could see what Ash had become. Or rather who had always been. He just needed help to get there.

Staraptor was the first to join in with their embrace. Charizard came next, then Sceptile. Finally, Pikachu wiped away his tears and jumped into Ash.

Lucario couldn't help but join the others.

Ash still had tears running down his eyes as he embraced his pokemon. The pain that had torn so deep into him was now nearly healed.

Brock had to wipe a few tears from his own eyes when he saw this.

"Ash, I have to ask. You're done with that fight club, right?" Ash stood up again with a fiery expression.

* * *

That night, Ash walked into the dark alley with Pikachu once again on his shoulder. Storm clouds had formed over Saffron City

Pikachu's face mirrored Ash's as they arrived at the doorway and banged on the door.

"Who's there?"

Ash placed his hand on the doorway and took a deep breath.

A small burst of aura forced the door open like a breaching charge and sent the bouncer tumbling down the staircase.

"Pika." Pikachu had heard Lucario describe Ash's new abilities but this was the first time Pikachu saw them. It was beyond breathtaking.

Ash stormed down the steps while walking past the bouncer.

"Ouch."

The door to Katsu's office was opened and Ash walked inside with two bouncer escorts.

Inside, he saw Katsu sitting at his desk. As usual, he had a cigar in his mouth while Jurou stood guard with a few Pincer.

"_Shadow, _I've been wondering what happened to you. It's been over a month. You're looking well."

Jurou carefully saw the fierce look in Ash's eyes and kept close to Katsu, especially when Ash came forward.

"I'm done."

Katsu looked confused.

"Huh?"

"I said, I'm done fighting for you!"

Katsu began to chuckle while puffing out some smoke.

"You're hilarious, _Shadow_. You think you can just walk away from me?"

"I am. I refuse to take part in your sick fights, this place is everything wrong with the way people treat pokemon. I'm not supporting it anymore."

"What about your precious dream? How will you support yourself and train at the same time?! Are you really willing to give up your only chance of achieving everything you've ever wanted."

Ash showed no hesitation or second thoughts as he came forward and slammed both hands onto Katsu's desk.

"I'm done!"

"Pikachu!"

Katsu sighed as he sat back.

"Here's the problem, kid. My boss needs more money and you've become a bit of a fan favorite here. My numbers have already taken a dip since you disappeared. I'm afraid I'll have to insist you keep fighting."

"There's nothing you can do to make me!?" Katsu gave an evil smile.

"Are you sure about that?"

Ash heard a muffled voice from behind another door and one of the bouncers brought them out.

Ash and Pikachu froze in terror when they saw Serena brought out by the bouncer. Serena had her hands bound with a gag over her mouth. A mixture of fright, anger, and frustration adorned her face before she saw Ash.

"Ash!" She tried to shout through the gag.

"Serena!"

"Pika!" To Ash's horror, Katsu took out a pistol and got up beside Serena.

"I understand you care about this lovely Kalos flower. It would be ashamed if I had to say, put a bullet between her legs and make her eat my cock while you watched." Katsu smelled Serena's hair as she tried to get away.

Ash and Pikachu shook in pure terror for Serena. Jurou smiled in a confident manner as he came up behind Ash.

"I have a fight lined up for you tonight boy, I hope for her sake you've reconsider-" Katsu stopped when he heard something.

"Huh?"

Ash soon heard it too. Serena moved her thumb against something hidden along the waistline of her skirt. The faint beeping sound became louder and as Katsu searched Serena, his mouth dropped when he saw a police tracker hidden on her.

"What the!?" Katsu had unwittingly lowered his head enough for Serena to crash her knee into it.

Katsu yelped in pain while stumbling backward onto the ground.

Ash thrust his hand at Jurou and the other bouncer as a pulse of aura hurled them back.

Before the third bouncer could react, Ash punched him three times and made him collapse to the floor.

"Serena, are you ok!?" Ash frantically let out as he used his hidden blade to cut her binds.

Serena stared deeply into Ash's eyes in a way she didn't think she could anymore.

"Ash." She said softly.

"I knew you were a piece of shit!" Jurou grabbed Ash and pulled him away as the door bouncer ran in.

Ash threw Jurou off him and easily countered his powerful strikes.

"Pika chu!" All three Pincer were filled with a crippling Thunder and brought to the ground.

At the same time, Katsu stumbled to his feet and tried to aim his gun at Ash. However, he was distracted by As's new fighting style as he beautifully but still viciously beat his enforcers down with unbelievable efficiency.

"The fuck!?" Serena grabbed Katsu's gun and pulled it away from his grip. The two struggled for control over it but Serena pressed the magazine's release button and pulled the bullets away. Using her free hand, Serena hit Katsu over the head with his magazine.

Now disoriented, Katsu lost his grip and Serena seized the gun. With incredible expertise, Serena put the magazine back in and switched the gun to fire before aiming it at Katsu, particularly between his legs.

The man now trembled in fright as he saw the gun pointed at him.

With an acrobatic kick, Ash brought Jurou to the ground. All four bouncers now moaned in agony before the door was kicked open again.

"Police, freeze!" Onishima held a revolver up until he saw what had happened.

Ash backed up with Pikachu while Serena smiled.

"Geez, where did Jenny find you?" Onishima chuckled when he saw Serena holding Katsu at gun point.

Ash and Serena watched as over a dozen police officers escorted the various patrons out in handcuffs. Nurse Joy and several emergency workers brought the pokemon out in gurneys.

Ash took a deep breath while he watched the fight club shut down. He had always hated it there, he hated what it stood for and what he had to do. Now he was free and no one else would be hurt.

Onishima, Jenny, and Iris all stood in front of the Ash with different expressions.

"So, what exactly were you doing here?" Onishima asked.

Pikachu nudged against Ash's face as he took a deep breath.

"….I."

"Ash is my friend. You saw that back at the club, he happened to be walking by when Katsu's men took me. He came in to try and help me." Serena came up beside Ash with a dedicated expression.

Jenny, Iris, and Onishima looked at each other while nodding.

"Alright, we thank you for your cooperation." Jenny said as she wrote down what Serena said.

"We've got it from here. Enjoy your night, and thank you for all the help!" Iris gleefully exclaimed.

Ash and Serena left with Pikachu as Onishima gazed at the club with a look of fulfillment.

"We finally did it. We made the criminals hurt! We stopped so much suffering!"

"Hell yeah we did! Those Rocket gangsters won't forget this for a long time!" Iris grabbed Onishima's shoulder and gleefully shouted with him.

Jenny smiled for Onishima and came up to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Meanwhile outside, it had already started to rain. Not all that different from the fateful night one month prior.

Ash and Serena came out into the streets as the water came down.

Both stared passionately at each other even as they grew wetter.

"Ash, where have you been?" Serena asked softly.

Ash took a deep breath.

"I had to change. You were right, you Brock, all of you were trying to help me. I just wasn't ready to listen. I finally got the help I needed and became the man my pokemon deserve."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu lept into Ash's arms and nuzzled his face while a warm smile slowly returned to Serena's face.

"I'm so happy to hear that."

"I'm sorry I was distant for so long. But until I couldn't face you or my pokemon until I was ready."

Ash put Pikachu back onto his shoulder.

"What were you doing here?! You almost got yourself killed!?"

Serena sighed.

"I thought you were still in those damned fights. If you weren't going to help yourself I was going to get them shut down. It was the only thing I could think of." Ash slowly smiled again.

"You'd do that, to help me."

Serena blushed.

"I care so much about you Ash. You don't even realize it."

Ash began to blush as well. Ash carefully reached out and took Serena's hand. Serena's eyes widened when she saw his eyes and hand glow blue as he reached out to her with his aura.

Pikachu smiled as he remembered fondly making the connection with Ash only that morning. Never in her life had she felt such a sensation. She felt Ash's emotions, his true nature, who he truly was. Serena saw the boy she had met at camp, she saw the man she always dreamed he would be.

"I think I do. It just took me a while to realize it. If you're willing to give me another-"

Serena cut Ash off as she jumped into his arms and pressed her lips against his.

Ash returned her passion with his own. He lifted Serena up as the rain came down on them both.

"I love you." Serena said softly.

"I know."

"Pika." Pikachu said shaking his head as he smiled.

Ash and Serena resumed their passionate kiss with their aura now joined as one.

In the distance, Felix and his Lucario watched with a warm smile.

"That's my boy."

"Felix!" The Aura Guardian froze int error as he felt a strong hand grab his shoulder.

To his pure terror, Felix saw Delia standing behind him.

"There you are!"

"Delia."

Lucario began to chuckle.

* * *

_Author's note_

_Maybe I could have made this two chapters but I just didn't want to_

_Yep a lot happened, Ash can use aura and has made up for his mistakes_

_Felix has joined the story and Ash can finally move forward with his life_

_If you thought this chapter should have been split just let me know and I'll make sure future chapters don't run this long_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A Second Chance

* * *

The sun slowly rose over Saffron city and filled its streets with vibrant light.

Pikachu rested on the couch beside Sylveon. After everything that had happened the day before, particularly at night, both were sound asleep. Sylveon had her tassels wrapped around Pikachu to keep him close.

Around them were the other pokemon.

Charizard, Lucario, Staraptor, Squirtle, and Sceptile were asleep beside Serena's other pokemon.

Serena's Absol rested across from Lucario while her Braixen kept close to Charizard's tail flame. Phione kept close to Squirtle and Pancham bundled up beside Staraptor's feathers.

Grovyle found similar comfort as Sylveon as she cuddled up beside Sceptile.

When the morning sunlight entered Ash's apartment, Sceptile yawned. The grass-starter glanced down at Grovyle who looked far too comfortable with her head pressed against his chest.

Sceptile sighed but didn't want to disturb her so remained where he was. When Sceptile looked around again he gave a smile upon seeing their family back together after what happened a month prior.

Sceptile had missed Ash immensely despite how much anger he held towards him during that time. Now, after the aura connection, Sceptile felt closer with Ash than he ever had before. Their emotions and sensations were shared now and both held a true understanding of one another.

However, when Sceptile looked back at Ash's shut door, he nervously sweatdropped.

Then again, Sceptile didn't need to always be so connected to Ash and would have preferred to sleep in his pokeball the previous night.

The morning sunlight now reached inside Ash's room. It slowly shined over Ash and Serena's clothes from the previous night. Both sets of clothes were still wet as they had simply been tossed onto the ground with their equally wet underwear resting on top.

Inside the bed, rested Ash and Serena themselves. Serena's arms were firmly placed around Ash's body while her head found a home on his chest.

Serena's usually neat and well-combed hair was now just as messy as Ash's.

Eventually, the sunlight reached Serena's face and brought her eyes to open slightly.

"Mmmmm." She hummed.

Serena raised her head enough to see it was only seven-ten. This surprised her a bit, as Serena had thought for sure they would oversleep. That was until she looked back down at Ash who looked like he might do just that.

In Ash's face, she could see the long-held weariness was fading from him. For the first time in years, Ash was able to sleep peacefully.

Serena planted a warm kiss on his lips and giggled a little.

She patiently waited while stroking Ash's feet with her own.

Finally, Ash slowly opened his eyes and saw Serena's smiling face over him.

"Morning!"

Ash smiled back.

"Morning, my love." Serena's blush became uncontrollable as she giggled and kissed Ash again.

Serena laid back down against Ash and felt up his back while he, in turn, fondled her chest.

"You don't seem as tired as you used to." Ash let out a vibrant exhale.

"I have been sleeping better lately. Since my dad started training me. But last night was the best sleep I had in years. For more than one reason though." Ash said with a bashful look, earning another giggle from Serena.

"You're finally free from those damned fights, that's why."

Ash nodded.

"I do feel free, more free then I have in a long time. It's strange, I think I would have had another fight today actually. Now I have the whole day to figure out." Serena gave a devilish smile as she came back up directly on Ash while placing her hands against his face.

"Well, it's still quite early. I can think of a few things we can do." Ash returned Serena's expression and firmly grasped her behind.

"Well, I am feeling quite rested-" Serena cut Ash off by placing her lips over his while her tongue entering his mouth.

Outside the room, Sceptile was still the only one awake when he began to hear Ash and Serena again.

"Tile!" Sceptile frantically looked around until he saw Ash had left his pokeball on the counter.

Sceptile tried to get up and reach the safety of his pokeball. However, Grovyle had wrapped her arms firmly around him and wouldn't let go.

Sceptile couldn't get Grovyle off without waking her up.

Sceptile sweatdropped in agony as he was trapped.

By eight, Ash and Serena had gotten up. Serena held her clothes and underwear and sweatdropped upon realizing they were still wet since she hadn't hung them up.

With a sigh, Serena hung them up along Ash's shower. Ash had put on a pair of boxers and shorts but soon sweat dropped himself upon realizing that in the month he'd been gone, he hadn't done any laundry, having just worn the clothes his father had for him.

In that month, his pile of dirty clothes had begun to smell. Neither he nor Serena had noticed last night due to their minds being elsewhere but now it was clearly evident.

Serena came back out and held her nose upon picking up the smell.

"I guess I need to do some laundry."

Serena gave a sterner look at Ash but had a hint of a smile as well.

"That's not all we need to do." Serena emphasized the other neglected parts of Ash's room and bathroom.

"Plus we'll have the time…..I didn't bring any extra clothes." She sweatdropped while also blushing a bit.

Ash looked through his closet and drawers but found only one piece of clean clothing, a grey t-shirt.

"Well, I don't need a shirt in my own place." Ash said as he handed it to Serena who gave a bashful giggle.

"No, you don't." Serena didn't even try to hide her stare at Ash's exposed upper body. Ash had already kept himself in shape before but after Aura Guardian training, his muscles had only become much more defined and toned.

Serena placed the t-shirt on and then picked up half of Ash's dirty clothes before walking out. As she did, Ash now stared at her sizable, round and exposed behind, which Serena almost flaunted proudly.

"I don't need a skirt in your place either."

Ash smiled as he picked up the rest and followed her.

For the next hour, Ash and Serena got to work on Ash's apartment. Serena showed Ash the proper way to clean.

Their pokemon had all woken up by that point and watched their trainers as they cleaned up. However, their cleaning was more than once interrupted by Ash and Serena getting more than a little playful with each other. Particularly given how much or rather how little clothing they had on.

Sceptile, Absol, Phione, and Staraptor all looked a little uncomfortable watching these antics. The rest of the pokemon playfully laughed, though Sylveon sweatdropped when she noticed Charizard took particular interest in watching the moments of physical intimacy.

"Syl."

Pikachu sweatdropped and shook his head.

"Pika." The electric mouse sounded more than a little embarrassed.

After finally making Ash's apartment clean, Serena began preparing breakfast while Ash fed each of their pokemon.

Ash noticed Pikachu and Sylveon eating close together while Grovyle kept herself close to an uncomfortable Sceptile. Ash could feel the emotions his pokemon emanated towards the others. Though Sceptile was trying much harder to hide it.

After this, Ash joined Serena at the table.

"Voila!" Serena proudly revealed their breakfast.

"Ahhh, it looks great." Ash saw she had prepared Kalos style toast with eggs and fruit.

"Better get used to it, no more instant meals for you!" Serena said in a half-stern and half-playful manner.

The two began eating while also sipping on some coffee.

"Ash, what is your plan now?"

Serena saw Ash's confident expression return.

"I train hard and win the Q4 prelims." Serena smiled as she shared in his excitement.

"Great, you're reaching back towards your dream! But what about sustaining yourself?"

Ash took a deep but relaxed breath.

"That's taken care of. During the month with my dad, I also looked for temporary work and found a job. One that will work quite well I think."

Through their new aura connection, Serena could not only feel the levity and excitement in Ash but she soon understood what this job was by his passion.

"That sounds amazing! I also feel fired up!" Ash nodded.

"You're showcase is in a few weeks." Serena nodded.

"Two weeks. We've been training hard but there's always room for improvement. When the showcase comes, we'll show all of Kanto what we can do!"

"Sol!"

"Braix!"

"Vyle!"

"Pan!"

"Phione!"

"Syl!"

Ash now felt Serena's inner fire as her passion flowed through their joined aura.

Serena pushed her now empty plate away and stood up.

"I feel ready to do some training! Let's go!" Serena proclaimed.

"Serena." Ash said before she looked down at her exposed lower body.

"…Oh, right."

* * *

By the late morning, Serena and Pancham were deep into one of their routines.

"Cham!" Pancham brought up large rock pillars beneath Serena who carefully moved between them in an exciting manner. Serena showed great concentration and determination after many failed attempts. Pancham himself grit his teeth as he carefully watched Serena move from rock to rock.

Finally, she landed beside Pancham and picked him up.

"Pan!" Pancham let his excitement out in the form of a Dark Pulse that burst his rock pillars into dust that sparkled with the Dark Pulse.

Serena and Pancham began to passionately dance together around the display of Dark Pulse. When they finished, Serena and Pancham panted with sweat dreaming down their bodies.

"How'd I do?"

"Cham!" Pancham's look of encouragement made Serena smile.

"I finally managed to do it without falling." Serena rubbed a few small bruises on her arms and legs.

"Scorbunny use Flamethrower!"

Serena and Pancham looked across the large chamber where they saw Ash with his pokemon.

Ash was wearing attire similar to the pokemon overseers within each chamber. Around Ash's team were a dozen younger trainers, including Gou.

"Remember, that move will grow stronger the more you work it. But under the right circumstances, Damian if you don't mind." Another trainer nodded as he came forward with a Krabby.

"Try Flamethrower again. Scorbunny will struggle against a water attack but that struggle will make him stronger Are you ready?." Gou nodded.

"Bubblebeam!"

"Flamethrower!"

"Score!" The fire-bunny breathed a somewhat-steady jet of fire at the same time the Krabby sent forth Bubblebeam.

Ash and the others watched this closely as Scorbunny struggled to keep his flames going against Bubblebeam.

Despite this, the Bubblebeam continued to push through Flamethrower and move closer to Scorbunny.

Ash nodded to Sceptile who lept into bubblebeam with Leaf Blade and destroyed the attack before it could reach Scorbunny.

"Let's all give it a try,"

Ash had each of his student's pokemon face off to strengthen their moves. Any time a move came close to overpowering the other, one of Ash's pokemon would intercept it.

Serena could see the proud look on Ash's face as he saw the younger trainers and their pokemon grow stronger together.

Seeing and feeling such happiness in Ash brought similar jubilation to Serena.

After this was done, Ash continued by demonstrating a few battle tactics using his own pokemon.

Ash gave decisive instructions to Pikachu and Charizard as they faced off against each other. None of his students could see it. But Ash's aura flared up through his connection with both pokemon. Pikachu and Charizard knew exactly what Ash wanted.

Neither held anything back and pushed themselves harder then they thought they were capable of before. Both felt the presence of Ash and used it as a source of newfound strength.

Ash's students took a careful examination of Ash's various strategies, Gou in particular.

When Ash had them practice their own strategies, he made sure to watch each individually and give them further instructions.

"Have Spearow ride the wind, he'll fly more efficiently." Ash waved to Staraptor who flew beside Spearow as one of the room's wind simulators blew into them. Spearow and Gou watched Staraptor closely while he demonstrated what Ash suggested.

"Alright, give it a try, Spearow."

"Spear!" Spearow did his best to keep up with Staraptor but couldn't match the flight pattern.

"Keep at it, you'll get there."

Gou nodded confidently.

A few minutes later, another trainer wearing the same attire as Ash joined their group.

"Sorry I'm late, Eli kept insisting we continue and I lost track of time."

"It's fine, alright guys, Ahim will be taking over for now. But I'll be back before the day is over."

"See you, Ash!"

Ash entered another of the Trainer Center's chambers. However, he wasn't alone. Ash stood on one end of a diamond-shaped sparring field with Eli on end, Will on another, and Justin directly across from Ash.

"Ash, I must admit we were starting to worry about you. What happened?" Will asked as Ash continued to smile.

"I had to re-evaluate my life. It wasn't easy but I'm all the better for it."

"Good, I'm interested to see how strong you've become. We're going to make it into Qualifiers this time, and that means we need to get stronger!" Eli boasted.

Justin looked over Ash closely.

"Ash, I see you've taken a job here. This is your only employment I presume?"

Ash gave a gratified nod back.

"I quit my old job and I'm never going back."

Justin smiled warmly.

"I'm happy to hear that."

"Just like we're so happy you decided to grace us with your presence, oh great prelim winner." Will almost groaned.

Justin chuckled.

"Qualifiers will be even harder and I want you guys there too."

"Let's get to it then, shall we!"

"Pikachu!"

Ash let out his other pokemon while Eli, Justin, and Will did the same.

"Ready, let's go!"

The ensuing melee was intense but well organized by swift directions from the four trainers.

Each pokemon worked every bit of their bodies and coordination.

By one, Ash and Serena were sitting outside at a table with their pokemon as they ate lunch.

Serena had prepared homemade sandwiches for them, which Ash ate with delight.

"That's so good." Serena smiled with a slight blush.

"Home-cooking is always better." Ash nodded.

"I guess after so many years, I stopped thinking about it and went with what was easy. I think you could give Brock a run for his money."

"I'm an ok cook, mama is the real master."

Ash almost sweatdropped as he thought more.

"I traveled with Brock for years and never picked up on cooking."

"You're just like papa then, once mama couldn't come home because of a race and papa tried making dinner."

"What happened?"

"He almost burned the house down." Ash felt his eyes widen but Serena only laughed.

"Papa was pretty embarrassed about it. He mostly stayed out of the kitchen in shame. Papa is many things but a cook isn't one of them."

"I guess it really is an art form."

"Papa has his own strengths. He can handle a pistol better than anyone in his regiment, says it keeps the men inspired to see their commander so proficient."

Ash nodded. He now understood how Serena had become so proficient with a pistol herself.

"Do you like your new job?"

Ash nodded with a great sense of pride.

"It's awesome. I get to help trainers like Gou grow towards their dreams and still have time to train myself here. I don't make as much money but that doesn't matter." Serena put her right hand on top of Ash's.

"I know. You're finally past all that."

Ash's pokemon joined him in a harmonious exhale.

"How goes your practice?"

"Well enough. There's always room for improvement." Ash nodded.

"If you need some help, we're always here."

"I know. But you have even less time to train yourself now."

Ash shook his head.

"Your showcase is in two weeks. I can make time."

"Thank you." Serena began to stroke Ash's hand.

"What kind of performance did you have planned?"

Serena's pokemon became more excitable like their trainer.

"I've always valued passion and expression over overly sophisticated routines. However, one idea I've found quite exciting is performing with all six of my pokemon at once!" Serena boldly proclaimed as she raised her fist.

"It would bring so much energy and life to the performance. But the most I've ever performed with is three at a time."

Ash grew more intrigued as he imagined Serena's performance with all six of her pokemon.

"If you have the drive to see through, anything is possible. It may not be easy but I'm here to help."

"Thank you." Serena said softly with a slight blush.

Nearby, Shauna sat with Joc and Tierno.

Shauna and Joc smiled when they saw Serena happy again. With Ash no less.

Tierno didn't seem as pleased but looked at peace with it.

After lunch, Ash returned to his students for a few hours while Serena practiced on her own.

At the end of Ash's shift, he was with Lucario in another chamber. The two furiously sparred with each other. Their aura connection made facing each other even more of a challenge but it only pushed them harder.

"Is that all you've got!" Ash laughed while his eyes and hands glowed with a blueish-red aura.

"Grouuu!" Lucario growled back with an equally confident expression. His own eyes and hands glowing with aura.

By the time Serena found them, Ash and Lucario were gasping for breath and drenched in sweat.

"Is this your special training?" She asked with an intrigued smile.

Ash and Lucario nodded.

"Dad told me to keep training on our own."

"Does this mean you're going to be some secret warrior like him?" Serena asked almost cautiously as she put her hand on his shoulder.

Ash looked at his one hidden blade bracer and took a deep breath.

"I don't think so, my dream hasn't changed. These abilities are certainly helpful but I don't need to follow in my father's footsteps."

Serena let out a deep exhale of relief.

"You look pretty tired, are you're good to train with us?"

Ash wiped the sweat from his face and cracked his neck.

"I can go all day and night."

Serena giggled while blushing.

"I know." Ash sweatdropped with a slightly embarrassed look upon realizing the choice of words he just used. Pikachu shook his head while Lucario snickered.

"…..Let's just get started."

Serena let out her pokemon who each matched up with one of Ash's Pokemon. Like before, they began exercising to strengthen their moves.

Serena, herself, took Ash's hand smiled.

"I need a partner too."

Ash took a deep breath.

"You can do this." He said to himself…He was wrong. After all his experience fighting and so much training from his father, Ash could dance no better than when he was a child.

Ash fumbled around with Serena doing his best not to drag them both to the ground. Serena could feel his immense fear that he was only hindering her. However, she gave Ash a reassuring kiss on the cheek.

Eventually, Ash swapped out for all of Serena's pokemon.

Ash's team felt more than a little impressed at how hard Serena's team could go after strength training. The performers danced with a passionate resolve. Serena herself, despite being just as sweaty as Ash, pushed herself further than she thought herself capable.

The routine itself managed to stay well coordinated even with seven performers. Each of them moving carefully to avoid collisions or similar mess-ups.

Pikachu watched Sylveon with particular interest. Her elegant grace capturing his eyes.

Charizard and Squirtle similarly noticed Sceptile staring at Grovyle.

"Grauuu."

"Squir." Sceptile glared back at both of them.

Finally, Serena's team finished their routine and threw up their hands.

Ash applauded with his own team but almost immediately saw Serena wobble. Her team's fatigue finally caught up with them and a few began to fall over from exhaustion.

Serena was quickly caught in Ash's arms while Pikachu and Sceptile similarly did the same to Sylveon and Grovyle.

"Vyle!" Grovyle blushed. Her head brushing firmly against Sceptile's chest.

"Are you ok?"

Serena panted, her eyes only partially open.

"…..We pulled it off." Ash hugged Serena tighter.

"It was beautiful."

"Merci!"

"I've already punched out here so we can leave if you want."

Serena nodded.

"I think we've done enough for today." Her pokemon all nodded wearily.

"I don't know about you but I'm starving." Serena felt her own stomach growl.

"Definitely, well let's hurry home and get something started."

"Actually, I thought we might go out tonight. We've been there before, I think you liked it."

Serena nodded.

"Alright but let's shower first."

"…..Right. But we're actually going to meet someone there so let's be quick about it."

Serena gave a devilish look.

"Would it be faster if we showered together?"

"…I can be fast, if you don't mind."

Serena giggled.

"We'll see."

Both of their pokemon began to nervously sweatdrop. All except Charizard, who's tongue hung out a bit with an excited expression.

"…..Pika." Pikachu groaned in lament, wishing Charizards and Dragon pokemon weren't so perverted.

* * *

That night, Ash and Serena were back at the smaller alley full of old-fashioned restaurants.

Both sat beside each other on one end of a small wooden table beside the grill Ash had taken Serena to with the other performers. However, the two didn't eat alone. Sitting across from them were Felix and Delia.

"Ohhh, that sounds quite amazing! Tell me more about Kalos!" Delia said with stars in her eyes.

"Well, the west coast is pretty popular for tourists. Though Kiloide city was always my favorite place to go on holiday."

"I always found Kalos to be a bit more temperate but still enjoyable." Felix said before Delia's face turned to a confused fury.

"You've been to Kalos!?"

"Yes, plenty of times for joint missions with the Kalos brotherhood." Felix and the others now saw Delia's eyes light up in a blazing, inferno.

"You went to Kalos without me!"

Ash and Serena now sweatdropped as they saw Delia grab Felix by his hood and pull him down.

"Are your parents ok?"

"….It's complicated."

Lucario shook his head and continued eating. Pikachu, Braixen, and Mr. Mime doing the same.

Behind the grill, two of the shop owners sweatdropped as they watched Delia bicker with Felix.

"…Do you and mom ever fight like that?"

"…Not like that…How did we end up with these kinds of customers?"

"Would you two stop standing around!" A sharp voice broke the shopkeepers' demeanors as they turned to see the third shop owner holding four plates of food.

"In case you haven't noticed, aside from two others, those four are the only customers we've had tonight!" The woman shoved two plates into their hands before pushing them out.

She then took a deep breath and walked past their Magmar. The shop owner looked at an ever-growing stack of bills on the back-counter with mounting dread in her eyes.

Upon seeing this, the Magmar approached her from behind and give her a comforting hug.

As the group began eating, Serena struggled to keep herself awake. Her long day of physical activity had taken its toll and soon she would face a food coma. Needless to say, she would sleep good tonight.

"Ash has told us a lot about you, Serena. I can't believe you met at camp all those years ago and found each other after so many years."

Serena and Ash smiled while holding hands.

"And you said camp would be a bad idea." Felix chuckled while Delia gave an evasive look.

"I didn't say that. I just thought he'd enjoy a trip with both of us."

"Mrs. Ketchum."

"Please, call me Delia."

"Delia, Ash says you write news articles for the Kanto Newsgroup."

Delia gave a proud nod.

"I do, it lets me work from home while this one ran around with his weird friends."

"I didn't hear you complaining when I came back with my earnings in gold."

Delia was silent again.

"Can you guys stop it. This is the first time we've been together in years."

Delia and Felix sighed.

"Sorry." They both said sincerely.

"I guess it doesn't matter. I'm not letting you out of my sight again." Delia almost growled at Felix who sweatdropped.

"Anyway, what do your parents do?"

"Mama's a formerRhyhorn racer and papa's an army Colonel."

"Tell us more about your career as a performer."

"Well, I didn't know that was exactly what I wanted to do from the start. When I went to get pokemon from professor Sycamore, I really just wanted mama off my back about following in her footsteps. I traveled around for a bit trying to figure out my life."

"Nothing wrong with some travel." Ash said as Delia gave a weary look thinking about how much her son and husband have traveled.

"Anyway, I eventually met back up with Shauna who convinced me to see a showcase with her. I knew what they were but hadn't seen one. It changed my life, seeing the beauty and passion between a performer and their pokemon. I knew then that it was what I wanted to do more than anything."

"How did your mom take it?" Delia asked.

Serena took a deep breath as Ash placed his hand on her shoulder.

"She was, less than understanding, at first anyway. When I ran into her and confessed it was what I wanted to do, she said I gave up on things too easily. That I'd get bored of performing and quit. Mama said it was time I could spend training."

"Ohhh, I'm sorry." Serena exhaled.

"I promised that I wouldn't give up and worked hard with Shauna for our first showcase."

"I'll bet that went well-" Delia started until she saw Ash shake his head trying to cut her off.

"…Not really." Braixen let out a long sigh. Pikachu came up beside her with a reassuring pat on the back.

"I got a little too ambitious with Braixen's decorations. She was just a Fennekin then and when we came out for our round, she tripped on her ribbon ends….We didn't advance past the first round."

"…..I'm so sorry, I-"

"It's fine, it happened and I learned from it. Though, I will admit it was pretty hard at the time. I don't want to Shauna and mama reminded me how she was right…That night, I went down to the docks and cried. I almost cut off most of my hair."

Delia's eyes widened as Felix nodded.

"What stopped you?"

Serena finally smiled.

"I remembered what Ash told me back at camp." Felix now smiled warmly with Ash.

"That's my boy." Felix thought to himself.

"I told mama that I wouldn't stop performing. She was reluctant but papa has always supportive of my dream and convinced her to let me pursue it. Shauna and I promised ourselves that we'd become top performers. Since then we've never stopped pursuing our dreams, just like Ash." Serena put her hand on Ash's hand again with a slight blush.

"Delia and Felix both shared a warm sensation seeing their son with someone like Serena.

"So you're grand showcase here?"

"It's in two weeks. Well, less than two weeks now."

"What's your plan after that?"

Serena gave an almost nervous look back at Ash but then appeared more confident.

"I keep performing here. Become the Kanto Queen!"

* * *

_Author's note_

_Yep, now we're caught up on where Ash is moving forward from._

_He hasn't given up on his dream and will keep pushing towards it._

_However, we mustn't forget Serena either, the next chapter will see how own ambitious played out._

_Regarding how the chapter opened, yes this story is rated M for mature but I don't do lemons, it's just not my style. I will admit some of my past works could be a bit risque, however, looking back I'm just kind of embarrassed of them now. So unless you guys universally start chanting for more, what you saw in this chapter is more or less how those elements will play out for the rest of the story_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Kanto Queen at (xxx) play Pokemon Dori dori (serena's dream)

* * *

Serena danced with Braixen and Absol before a grand audience.

Serena was garbed in a red and white Kalos dress with her pokemon wearing similar attire.

All three danced with bursting spirit and precise coordination. In the audience, Serena could see her parents watching them. She saw the devotion in her father's eyes and even her mother showed uncompromising support.

Serena took a deep breath as they readied for the finale.

"Double Team! Psychic!"

Absol made a dozen copies of himself while Braixen lifted them up in a ballet of flying Absols.

"Psycho cut, Flamethrower!"

The floating Absols all unleashed the psychic move towards Braixen while Serena held her up.

Braixen threw her wand up and unleashed flamethrower, however, the flame was weak and didn't burst apart the Psycho cut as intended. Instead, it created a repulse that hurled Serena and Braixen to the ground with Absol tumbling down as well.

Serena grunted as she and Braixen got up to a disappointed crowd.

The look on her parents' faces, particularly her mother's.

Braixen trembled in shame as Serena hugged her.

* * *

Serena's eyes shot upon and she panted heavily. Her body was soaked in a cold sweat and Serena tried to relax a little. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around Ash while she remained cuddled up beside him.

Being careful not to wake him, Serena brought her head up enough to look at the alarm and saw it was only two in the morning.

Serena exhaled and laid her head back down on Ash's chest as she tried to fall back asleep. However, this became a trial harsher than she would have imagined. Serena found herself unable to sleep and kept checking the time every few minutes in a manner that felt like self-inflicted torture.

At seven, Ash finally woke up and stretched his arms.

"Morning, Serena." He said in his upbeat tone. However, when Ash looked at Serena, her eyes opened slower and showed signs of fatigue.

"Are you alright?"

"…..I'm fine, I just didn't sleep well is all."

Ash watched Serena with some worry as she got up and walked towards the bathroom.

Serena's fatigue persisted even as they showered together and the warm water came down across them.

Ash gave her a thorough scrub down but could tell she wasn't in the mood for more intimate fun and thus didn't take it any farther.

Given her showcase was that day, he could understand Serena wanting to focus. But the weariness in her expression was more than a little concerning for Ash. He recognized the fatigue as not being too different than the weariness he had only recently bore.

When the two got out, Serena was about to head towards the kitchen when she felt Ash's hand on her shoulder.

"Serena, you're still looking a little tired. Why don't you let me take care of breakfast."

Serena's tired expression only got worse when she heard this.

"….I love you darling but you're not a good cook."

Ash sweatdropped.

"….You cook with your pokemon. I'll have them help me."

Serena yawned and slowly nodded.

"Merci."

Serena slept a little while Ash made their breakfast but not well.

Braixen and her companions kept a close eye on Ash while he made their breakfast. More than once correcting something he did.

When Serena came back out to join Ash for breakfast, his pokemon saw a similar weariness on each of her pokemons' faces.

Pikachu nudged against Sylveon's face while Sceptile did the same to Grovyle, neither seemed to respond.

Through their aura connection, Ash could feel Serena's pure angst and tensed up nerves. Considering her showcase, it wasn't that surprising. However, it was her weariness that concerned him more. He could feel something deeply bothering her. Something deep inside that was the true source of her fatigue.

"Serena, is something bothering you?"

The young woman gave an evasive look while sipping on her coffee.

"…..I just didn't sleep well, like I said."

"Serena, we have an aura bond now. That's now going to work." Serena sighed.

"It's ok to be a little nervous."

"….It's more than that…Ash, this will be my first showcase since I lost at the Masterclass finals."

Ash was taken back by this a little.

"It is?"

Serena nodded with deep regret in her eyes.

"It wasn't that long ago. Since then we've been practicing so hard for this. Our second chance."

"I know the feeling, believe me, I know it better than anyone can. You've clearly come a long way since then. You've learned from your mistakes and have bettered yourself as a result. I should know, you helped me get there too."

Serena finally smiled again.

"You're right, win or lose, I'll at least know it won't be like last time. Even if it doesn't go like I hope it does, I won't give up until the end."

"That's my beautiful Kalos Queen."

Serena's warm smile quickly spread to her pokemon.

"Thank you but I'm only a Kalos princess right now. However, I'll soon be Kanto Queen!"

Serena finished her breakfast but even as she got changed and grabbed her bag, Ash still saw the fatigue inside her face.

"….You didn't sleep well." Ash said as Serena joined him in a sweatdrop.

"Not really."

"Well, it's still quite a walk, maybe you do have time for a little rest." Ash quickly picked Serena up in his arms and held her bridal style.

"Heh?"

"I've got you, get some sleep on the way there." Serena's eyes slowly closed but she managed to plant a warm kiss on Ash's lips before her fatigue brought her to sleep. However, unlike before, the burden on her mind was gone and Serena could sleep peacefully.

Pikachu climbed up onto Ash's shoulder and nudged him playfully.

"Pika!"

"Not too loud, we don't want to wake her."

Using some of his aura, Ash kept as much sound from Serena as possible while he carried her through the bustling city. They got more than a few stares but Ash paid them no mind. His aura, combined with their bond had another effect, one that strengthened the rejuvenating impact of Serena's sleep.

* * *

Upon arrival, Serena finally woke up with a revitalized look to her.

Serena stretched her arms and exhaled a deep breath of relief.

"Merci." Serena said softly.

"Serena!" Shauna's lively voice pierced through the ever-growing stream of spectators that pushed inside.

"Morning, Shauna!" She was joined by Joc and the others, save Miette.

"Geez there you are, you've been impossible to keep track of since you moved in with Ash. Ahhh, your hair!"

Serena looked at her hair a little and nearly went pale when she realized she hadn't taken the time to properly prepare herself.

"Come on, we need to fix you up!" Shauna almost dragged Serena further into the Trainer Center while Joc and Tierno followed.

"Good luck guys." Joc and even Tierno smiled while nodding.

"Merci." Both replied.

Ash and Pikachu almost had to fight their way through the thick crowd.

Ash considered himself lucky his position as an instructor didn't include working during such an event. He looked at his co-workers with sympathy as they struggled immensely to deal with the sheer number of attendees.

Ash didn't see Eli or the others but that made sense. The rest of the Trainer Center was closed off for the Showcase.

However, he did notice Gou with several of his friends.

"Gou, I didn't know you were coming here."

"Oh, hey Ash. We knew training areas wouldn't be open here so we thought we'd watch the performances."

"They look like they could be a lot of fun. Maybe even worth trying!" One of Gou's friends said boldly as she pushed past two of the others.

"Kylie." Gou said. On her shoulders was a shiny Zorua.

"Ash." A familiar voice bellowed through the crowd.

Ash looked back to see some familiar faces.

Brock and Lucy approached with his parents close behind.

"Guys, you made it." Lucy nodded.

"We consider Serena a friend by now. It only seemed right to come and support her….I'll be back." Lucy hurried off while Brock sweatdropped.

"Is she in the bathroom phase?" Delia asked.

Brock wearily nodded.

Felix put his hand on Brock's shoulder.

"Appreciate her endurance. No matter what discomfort she puts you through, it's only a fraction of her own."

Delia gave a vehement nod.

"I'll talk with her too, walk her through what else she might go through."

"Thanks."

"How did she seem?" Felix asked.

Ash stroked Pikachu's cheek as he let out an approaching cry.

"She seemed tired at first but after regaining herself, I have no doubt she's ready to win."

Felix nodded with the others.

"Geez, there are so many people here. Bonnie, wait!" Ash and the others heard a frantic voice cry out from the crowd.

What caught their attention was the fact that this person was speaking Kalos.

From the crowd, Ash saw a little girl with bright yellow hair and light-blue eyes run in their direction.

Around the girl's waist was a yellow satchel back with a Dedenne sitting inside.

The little girl stopped in her tracks when she saw Pikachu on Ash's shoulder.

"Ohhh! So cute!" The girl's eyes turned to hearts and her hands clasped together.

"Sir! I love your Pikachu!" The girl said in thick Kalos.

"Pika!" Ash smiled as he held his arm out enough for Pikachu to climb down and lick the girl's' face.

"So cute!" The girl almost screamed.

Her Dedenne climbed up to Pikachu and sparked his cheeks against Pikachu who returned the sparks.

"Ahh, sharing electrical charges, I've heard of that before. Very interesting to see firsthand." Brock said.

"Bonnie!" The frantic voice returned as a young man emerged from the crowd.

He looked around Ash, Serena, and Shauna's age with a scrawny demeanor. His hair and eyes were just like the little girl's only covered by round glasses.

The young man wore a blue jumpsuit with a metal backpack. He huffed frantically in exhaustion and hunched over upon reaching the little girl.

"Bonnie, 'huff', please don't just run off like that."

The girl crossed her arms and with a stern expression.

"Out of breath again, you're embarrassing yourself, brother." Ash and the others were more than a little shocked by the manner in which the girl spoke to her brother. Even worse, he similarly seemed beaten down by it.

"Bonnie don't bother strangers." The young man nervously looked at Ash.

"Really upset you bothered by sister." His Kanto was worse than Serena's when she first arrived.

Ash and the others sweatdropped as the young man did the same.

"Your Kanto is a disgrace, brother."

"Hmp, not a problem! I have technology!" Ash and Brock tried to interrupt but the young man adjusted his glasses before dipping out what looked like a megaphone with a pokedex on the side.

"My future-translator will solve this problem. Activate!" He switched the device on as Ash saw its screen light up.

"Now, tell him I'm sorry for Bonnie bothering him." Instead of translating, the device surged and began to smoke.

"Huh?"

Before Ash could speak, the device exploded into the young man's face, leaving him trembling and covered in soot.

"What's happening right now?" Delia nervously asked.

"…I have no idea." Felix said. He, Ash, Brock, and Pikachu all sweatdropped as the young man coughed.

"Another failure, brother." The girl said just as cynically harsh.

"Are you ok?" Ash said in perfect Kalos.

"Huh?"

"We can speak Kalos." Brock said.

The young man hunched himself forward with a crestfallen expression then fell onto his back.

"Geez, Clemont! Keep this up and Shauna will leave you! I can guarantee you'll never get someone like her again!"

"Clemont, Bonnie. Wait, you're Shauna's boyfriend and his sister aren't you!"

"Pika!" Pikachu quickly remembered Serena telling them about this as well.

Clemont got up with a confused expression.

"How did you know that?"

"I'm Ash, I'm Serena's boyfriend. She told me about you."

"You're Serena's boyfriend! Awww, I'm so happy she found someone!" Bonnie's cheeks turned pink as she clasped her hands together.

"You came here to see her perform didn't you. We came to see Serena, I'm Brock."

"Felix, this is my wife Delia. She doesn't speak Kalos."

Delia gave a frustrated look before Felix whispered what he told them.

"Well, it's nice to meet you…I uh, don't suppose you'd mind us tagging along with you. Our Kanto isn't quite as good as I hoped."

Ash put his hand on Clemont's shoulder and guided him forward.

"No problem, I also work here and can get us good seats."

"Great!" Bonnie shouted as Lucy returned from the bathroom and came beside Brock.

"I hope are seats are close to some restrooms." Lucy saw the two Kalos siblings with a confused look.

"Who are they?"

Bonnie saw Lucy's enlarged stomach and approached.

"Ohh, Clemont why is her belly so big?"

Clemont gave a frantic expression as a robotic hand emerged from his backpack and grabbed Bonnie.

"I'm so sorry!" Lucy now sweatdropped with Brock.

"Brother you didn't answer my question? Lady why are you so big?"

"What did she say?"

Brock tugged at the collar of his shirt.

"I uh, she just doesn't understand pregnancy yet."

Elsewhere, Serena was in the changing room with Shauna and Miette.

Shauna helped Serena with her hair while Serena finished putting her dress on.

"Merci, I didn't sleep well last night."

"That's awfully reckless, having so much fun with Ash the night before our debut in Kanto."

"Shauna!" Serena's face burst into a pinkish-red while Shauna tried to contain her laughter.

"I'm only teasing. I'm happy things worked out with you and Ash."

Serena smiled warmly as she nodded.

"So just to clarify, last night you two did sleep platonically."

Serena's flustered expression returned, much to Shauna's amusement.

"Clemont will be here today. I'm really looking forward to seeing him again." Shauna now blushed a little.

"Well, should I take Bonnie off his hands so you two can properly reconnect?'

Shauna's expression was quite blunt.

"I'd really appreciate that if you're offering." Serena frantically sweatdropped.

"I uh, just remembered. My parents are coming, I have to see them."

"Alright, I'll ask Tierno."

Serena had forgotten how Shauna could act in this regard and returned to getting her dress ready.

Across the room, Miette hadn't paid much attention to their discussion and simply focused on preparing herself.

Upon finishing, all three were adorned in stylized kimonos. Shauna's was white and pink with separated sleeves and tassel-like ends to her belt.

Serena's was white, pink, and green. It took more of a Johton design with a shorter and more edged end to the bottom and pointed sleep ends.

Miette's was black and white with a bigger flare to its presentation.

"Kimonos are comfortable." Serena nodded and took a deep breath.

"It seems just like yesterday you brought me to that showcase in Shalour city." Shauna thought back with a fond smile.

"Good times, I still can't believe you hadn't heard of showcases before that."

"We've come a long way since then, as friends and performers." Shauna and Serena remained quiet for a few moments as they contemplated their careers as performers.

"I suppose we have."

"It will be different this time. For both of us." Shauna and Serena shared a confident smile.

"Without a doubt."

"Would you keep it down. I'm getting into my composure." Miette said as she held her hands up and breathed deeply.

"If either of us wins, let's make a pack to be a benevolent Queen."

"Definitely." Serena said with a vehement nod.

Finally, the three left to join Joc and Tierno in the hallway.

Both young men wore similar Kimonos, only men's style.

"You guys ready?!" Tierno proclaimed with his fist pumped.

"Without a doubt!" Serena replied.

"Well then, let's give this crowd a real Kalos styled show!" Joc threw his arm up while the others did the same, all except Miette.

"This way." One of the center's employees said.

Serena could see they were being led to another waiting area. However, another employee was waiting for them between the room and their group.

"Performers Serena and Miette, you have visitors."

"Eh?" Serena and Miette followed this employee until they were both led to different parts of the back halls.

Serena almost jumped when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her.

"There's my sweet little princess." Serena turned around and saw a man had her wrapped in an embrace.

The man wore a Kalos army jacket and had fair skin like Serena. His eyes were dark blue and his hair honey-blonde, done up in a military-style.

"Papa!"

The loving smile on his face warmed Serena up nicely as she hugged him back.

"Geez Alex, you're going to get her all messy before the Showcase starts."

Two more arms embraced Serena from behind as she slowly turned her head again.

A woman her father's age now joined the embrace. She had light-blue eyes like Serena and short-brown hair.

"Mama!"

"We wanted to see you before the Showcase started. It's been so long since we've seen you." Alex said in a saddened tone.

"I've missed you too, it's been an interesting trip thus far."

"I just can't wait to meet this boy you keep telling us about."

"Mama!"

Alex's expression did an about-face. He tightened his fist and stood firmer.

"….Yes, this Kanto boy." He almost growled.

"Papa, you have to give him a chance."

Alex grit his teeth a little.

"No boy is good enough for my sweet daughter. But you could at least I know Lieutenant Calem well enough." Serena sighed.

"Papa, Calem was very nice but he wasn't my type."

" 'Tch', we'll see if this Ash is good enough."

"Alex."

"I'm glad you guys made it. We've been training hard for this, and Ash has helped so much."

"Serena, whatever happens, just know we're so proud of you." Alex put his hand on Serena but she showed no signs of angst or self-doubt.

"I know you are. We have nothing to regret, win or lose."

"Serena, I just want you to know, I'm happy you found your dream and had the courage to pursue it." Hearing the sincerity in her mother's voice nearly brought Serena to tears and she quickly hugged her again.

In another section of the halls, Miette similarly had her arms wrapped around Silver.

"I'm so happy you're here darling! Your presence will give me strength." When Miette withdrew Silver pulled an ultra ball from his jacket. Upon seeing the Ultra Ball, Miette nearly shook.

"Is that what I think it is!?" Silver gave a satisfied smile and nodded.

"She's incredibly well made and trained to obey every one of your commands. I also made sure her body was specifically designed to perform. Use her and there's no way you can't win."

Miette blushed again and gave Silver a long kiss after taking the ultra ball.

"Merci!"

* * *

Ash sat with the others near the front row. A vast crowd filled the Trainer Center's main chamber. The normal battlefields were adjusted to serve as a makeshift stage where Malcolm Dohen stood with two others.

One was a man wearing a half-black and half-blue suit with a large key hanging from his tie. The other was a woman closer to Brock and Lucy's age. She had very long red hair and matching eyes, with an elegant Delphox beside her.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Guests from all over Kanto and Kalos alike. It's my honor and privilege to welcome you all here today. My Training Centers all around the world have helped aspiring trainers reach their full potential, however, they aren't the only ones who aspire to greatness with their pokemon." Malcolm emphasized the woman beside him.

"From this point on, my Trainer Centers will also offer services to Performers and Coordinators!" The crowd responded with a series of applause.

Malcolm handed the microphone to the man beside him.

"People of Kanto! We're honored to be here with you in Saffron city. I am Monsieur Pierre and we're proud to announce the begging of official Kanto Showcases! Very soon, performers from across Kanto will have the chance to show their skill and beauty! Presenting this showcase is the reigning Kalos Queen, Aria!"

Pierre handed her the microphone while the audience let out more applause.

"Aria is so pretty!" Bonnie proclaimed while Ash turned to Clemont.

"Serena's talked about her quite a bit. She's the performer champion then?"

Clemont adjusted his glasses.

"Well, sort of. A few years ago she won the master class showcase and became Kalos Queen. Since then she's been seen as the top performer in Kalos."

Bonnie nodded.

"People from all around the world come to see her perform."

"Not only that but as Kalos queen, she helps run the Showcases. However, every year she also has to compete in the master class showcase to defend her title."

Ash looked back at Aria.

"So she beat Serena."

"Not just Serena, all of them. Miette came in second, then Shauna, then Serena."

Pikachu joined Ash, Brock, Lucy and the others as they watched Aria with her Delphox closely.

"Thank you all for having us in your beautiful region! I'm happy to introduce five of the finest performers in Kalos, performers who have earned their skills through hard work and dedication." The lights dimmed and a single spotlight shined on Aria.

"Introducing, Tierno!" Another spotlight revealed him with his Crawdaunt.

"Joc!" Joc was shown beside Tierno with Talonflame on his shoulder.

"Serena!" Ash and Pikachu led their friends in a group cheer for Serena as a spotlight revealed her with Braixen.

Unknown to Ash, Serena's parents sat in another section and cheered just as loud.

"Shauna!"

"Yes! My brother's girlfriend!" Bonnie announced in a proud manner. Clemont's face nearly melted in embarrassment as he curled up.

Lucy smiled a little and chuckled.

"Actually, she's kind of cute."

Brock nodded.

"I think she and I would have gotten along well before we got married." Lucy slowly nodded.

"And Miette!" Miette appeared with Meowstic.

"Today we'll be treated to their beautiful performances. Each of you will get to chose who you want as your first Kanto Queen of King!"

"Huh?" Ash and the others only now saw a handheld light had been left in each seat.

"There are no judges in Showcases, the audience choses." Clemont said as he revealed five different light settings on the devices.

Ash looked back down and saw Serena had a key with a pink, heart-shaped jewel in the handle. Miette had a blue, Joc had a green, Tierno yellow, and Shauna red.

"Ahh, so we light up for who we think is the best." Brock said with a nod.

"Exactly!" Bonnie shouted.

When Ash looked at Serena he could sense her aura. She didn't appear nervous or afraid like before. She seemed driven and ready to leave everything on the stage.

"That's it, Serena."

"Pika!"

"The first round will demonstrate our performers' ability to work with a specified theme. From there, you, the audience will decide which two will move advance to the final round. From there, the finalists will be given free rein to perform a personalized routine of their choice and the final coronation will be placed in your hands!"

Pierre took the microphone and stepped forward.

"For our first round, we'll pay tribute to our gracious hosts with a traditional Kanto themed performance!"

The audience's excitement was at the bursting point.

"Let's not wait any longer! Behold our performers!"

Tierno went up first. He performed with his Crawdaunt and Ludicolo. Their routine seemed to be inspired by Kabuki performances. Tierno and his pokemon wore the traditional makeup and performed in an authentic manner.

All three danced with great cohesion and in a convincing Kanto manner.

By the time he finished, Tierno and his team bowed to roaring applause.

Joc came up next with his Talonflame and Bisharp.

Joc wore a straw Kasa hat and held two dulled katanas as he and Bisharp performed a choreographed fight with each other.

Felix rolled his eyes a little at the flashy and visually appealing manner of the fight.

He knew it was part of a performance but having been in real fights with blades he couldn't help but be less than impressed.

The rest of the audience didn't share his sentiment. When Joc finished, he sheathed both katanas and respectfully bowed with his pokemon.

"Now, performer Serena!"

Ash and the others' interest peaked as they saw Serena take the stage.

Serena had Pancham and Grovyle with her while holding two fans. Ash felt one of his pokeballs go off and saw Sceptile come out.

Ash smiled in a particular manner with Pikachu while Sceptile tried not to give them the satisfaction.

Five spotlights focused on Serena's team and she took a deep breath.

With confident gazes, Serena and her pokemon opened their eyes when traditional Kanto music began to play.

Just like Serena, Grovyle and Pancham each had two fans and elegantly danced with her.

Ash and the others were more than captivated by the energy and passion Serena's team put into their performance while still coordinating masterfully with each other.

Serena brought her fans down just as Pancham performed a spiraling front flip. With wondrous movements, Serena used her fans to bring Pancham up while Grovyle spun in front of them both.

Grovyle's tail lit up and she used her spins to surround them with a flowing river of leaves. With Pancham raised up, he was now able to safely bring forth a sweeping Dark Pulse without hitting Serena or Grovyle.

The ring of darkness engulfed Grovyle's leaf Storm and spread them around like a colorful rainstorm.

Serena's team used their fans to collect as many of these dark-leaves as possible.

Ash, Pikachu, and Sceptile became lost in the richness of Serena's performance. The dark-leaves swept around by their fans gave Serena's team a hauntingly vibrant appearance, like they were angels.

Serena helped Pancham leap high into the air with her fans. Once there, Pancham brought the ground to a trembling display using Stone Edge to raise up a dozen rock pillars.

Serena and Grovyle danced off these pillars once by one, using each as leverage unglue finally, Grovyle's arm blades glowed with a vibrant passion to them.

Appearing to still only be using her fans, Grovyle gut the top off the final rock and cleared their path.

Upon landing Serena, Pancham, and Grovyle threw their arms up. Before Serena's parents could bring their hands together for applause, Ash and Pikachu already beat them to the punch.

Ash stood up with Sceptile as he cried out in cheer.

"I forgot how good Serena is!" Bonnie shouted.

From the stage below, Serena exhaled in a relaxed manner. Pancham appeared more than confident for their success but Grovyle had just noticed Sceptile watching them from the stands.

"Vyle!"

Shauna's performance came up next. With her Delcatty and Vivillon, she performed a traditional Noh dance. Shauna wore a Vivillon mask, Vivillon wore a Delcatty mask and Delcatty wore a human mask.

Despite this, all three worked with incredible cohesion and brought a vibrant passion to their art.

"Go Shauna!" Bonnie bellowed out. Clemont did his best to cheer her own, though his shy demeanor wouldn't allow him to get even close to his sister's enthusiasm.

Finally, Miette took the stage in a formal Geisha dance. She had her Meowstic and Slurpuff. However, when Miette's performance began she revealed a third pokemon.

Serena and the other performers were almost stunned when they saw a Golduck with Miette.

"Huh?" Tierno gasped.

"When did Miette get a Golduck? Did she catch it here?" Shauna turned to Serena who shook her head.

"I've never seen her practice with it."

Ash, Brock, and Pikachu suspiciously watched the Golduck as well.

"That Golduck, it looks like Silver's pokemon." Brock nodded as he stroked his chin.

"Very well-bred, too well-bred."

"Brother, why is he colored differently?" Ash and Brock both looked over at Bonnie, then the Golduck.

"Pika!" Pikachu soon saw red markings across the Golduck's body just like Silver's Venusaur.

Miette quickly captivated the audience with her performance. All three of her pokemon followed a clearly well organized and detailed routine. The Golduck, in particular, seemed almost too well trained. It followed her subtle orders as closely as a machine would and moved with similar efficiency.

Ash was more concerned about the power behind this Golduck's moves. It was all too familiar.

From the edge of an entryway, Silver watched with a confident smile and nodded.

At last, Miette finished her routine and bowed before the impassioned crowd.

Upon rising, Miette smiled all too proudly at her rivals.

"Quite a magnificent performance!" Pierre proclaimed.

Serena and the others joined Miette back in the center stage. Pierre came to the center while the lights dimmed until only himself and the performers could be seen.

"Now the time has come! The choice is yours! Pick which performers will advance!"

"I chose you Shauna!" Bonnie exclaimed. She held her light out and set it to red while Clemont did the same.

Ash held his own light out and set it to pink. Brock, Lucy, Delia and Felix did the same.

Pikachu wished he could have done the same.

All of the performers did their best to seem calm. All except, Miette, who appeared more than confident.

Each of their key's jewels lit up a little with every light devoted to them.

Serena felt Grovyle and Pancham tighten their grips on her hands as they anxiously waited for the results to come in.

"It's ok." Serena said as calmly as she could. Ash's words from earlier that morning as well as her parents' kept Serena at ease.

Five screens lit up above the performers and revealed how many votes each had received.

Finally, the voting ended and Ash furiously looked for the results.

He felt his heart race a little upon seeing Miette in first with a considerably higher margin. However, upon looking at Serena's, Ash saw the votes put her in second.

"Ahhh, that's my daughter!" Alex roared from across the chamber.

Ash stood up with Pikachu and Grovyle. All three let out a combined hurrah for Serena while Brock and the others applauded with acclaim.

Clemont and Bonnie both sighed but slowly applauded.

"Shauna." Clemont moaned with some despair.

"Not in front of all these people, you look pathetic. At least Serena will move on." Bonnie sternly grabbed Clemont's shoulder.

Shauna, Tierno, and Joc similarly sighed.

"Guys-" Serena started.

"Don't even start, we've been here before."

Shauna put her hand on Serena's shoulder and stared almost intensely into her eyes.

"It's up to you now. Bring our dream to life…Don't let her become Kanto Queen." Shauna emphasized Miette who soaked up as much applause like it were a drug.

Serena tightened her fist but still smiled.

"Our next round will be two custom performances by our finalists. Like round one, the winner will be chosen by our audience! Since she received the most votes, performer Miette will go first!"

Miette looked all to eager for this and exchanged a competitive stare with Serena.

Both performers returned to the changing room to prepare for their final routines.

Serena changed into a Kanto style dress and looked at herself in the mirror. However, upon doing so, Serena only now realized that this dress was the same design as the one she had worn years ago to her first showcase, the one she had failed miserably.

But as Serena looked closer at herself in the mirror she didn't see the same girl that struggled to make it as a performer.

Serena thought back to when Sycamore gave her Braixen. Catching Pancham and the others. Winning her first showcase. Her mother coming to support her.

"This is your chance Serena, don't hold back, go for broke!"

Serena smiled and took a deep breath.

She watched with Shauna and the others as Miette performed with Slurpuff, Mewostic and the Golduck.

Just like before, she performed with masterful coordination and timing. The Golduck continued to capture the audience's awe and excitement.

Shauna, Tierno, and Joc almost trembled at the sheer ability of this pokemon.

"Where did she get such a pokemon?" Joc wondered.

"Geez, she's so good." Bonnie trembled.

Ash's parents saw a dedicated look on his face while he and Pikachu examined Miette's performance.

"She's good. But I can see it, that's not her pokemon. She doesn't have Serena's passion."

Across the chamber, Alex and Grace began to have flashbacks to Serena's masterclass showcase. To Aria's unrivaled performance.

Grace could see the fear in her husband's eyes but put her hand on his.

"She can do this…It's what she was meant to do."

Hearing such words from Grace brought renewed optimism to Alex.

Miette finished up her performance and confidently bowed.

"Such beauty and skill! Truly a performance to be remembered!" Pierre announced.

Miette walked past her follow performers and didn't even acknowledge Serena.

Shauna slowly reached for Serena but she moved her hand away.

"Serena, what are you going to do?"

The Kalos princess simply smiled as she held up all six of her pokeballs.

"I'm going to go for broke."

"Eh!" Shauna, Joc, and Tierno all nearly stumbled in confusion.

"She's not going to do what I think she is, is she?" Tierno asked with a nervous sweatdrop.

"I, I think she is!" Joc bellowed.

Ash felt the passion and determination inside Serena like a raging fire. A fire which soon spread to him.

As Serena took the stage, she tossed all six pokeballs forward without hesitation.

Her parents, Miette, Malcolm, Aria and the entire audience were in disbelief when they saw all six of Serena's pokemon come out beside her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it would seem performer Serena intends to use six pokemon for her routine! This is something unheard of!"

"Can, can she do that?" Clemont stuttered while Ash smiled.

"She will."

"Pikachu!"

(xxx)Music began to play and Serena's pokemon came to life with it. Serena threw her hand out and caught Braixen's paw. Together all seven began their dance. It was no simple task and Ash could see the challenge Serena faced. Performing with so many pokemon at once and so passionately.

Mixing in moves within the performance so close to each other. Ash had been in fights less challenging than Serena's performance looked. Serena and her pokemon couldn't match the precision or artistic form of Miette's performance.

She couldn't coordinate like Miette did nor were the moves presented nearly as impressive as the Golducks.

However, in Serena's performance, Ash and everyone else inside the chamber saw something they didn't see in Miette's. They saw a burning star of passion and life. Serena showed no signs of stress or weariness.

Serena's team shined with her. Grace nearly teared up when she saw the happiness in her daughter's face. She truly understood this was what Serena loved, where she was truly alive.

For Serena, she never felt more alive then she did at this moment. Performing with her burning passion beside all six of her pokemon. Almost nothing else mattered to her now, win or lose, Serena was exactly where she wanted to be.

With a powerful thrust, Serena lifted Braixen up and without hesitation her five other pokemon each unleashed their most powerful move over Braixen's head.

"Braixen!" The fire-fox thrust her own wand up. With it came her burning passion in the form of a fiery jet. Flamethrower hit the other moves and finally had enough power to burst through them.

Upon this collision, the audience bore witness to a series of fireworks brought before Serena's team.

Ash was the first to stand up with an almost unintelligible cheer.

Lucy and Brock saw Ash's face with particular interest. It was the same face Brock had given to so many women in his life. The kind of expression Brock never imagined Ash would show.

"Wow, he really is in love with her." Lucy saw Brock tear up.

"…I, I'm so proud of him." Brock sniffed.

Delia and Felix saw this as well.

"Love?" Delia almost shook before Felix held her.

"Yes, our boy is in love."

"So soon!?"

Felix shook his head.

"No, Delia. This began a long time ago."

Aria and her Delphox almost shook in awe of Serena's performance.

"There's no doubt, if Serena had done this in Kalos, she'd have beaten us."

Aria smiled confidently.

"That's it then."

Serena and her pokemon bowed to the audience. Sweat soaked her dress and her pokemons' bodies. They had become so lost in their performance, none even thought about winning or losing.

Serena embraced them all with loving tenderness.

Joc and Tierno shook in awe but Shauna nearly floated with stars in her eyes.

"Unbelievable!"

Shauna intercepted Serena as she returned and nearly lifted her friend up.

"You're my hero!"

Bonnie jumped up in down with the same expression as Shauna.

Miette grit her teeth and while looking away. However, the audience's thunderous roar was too much for her to ignore.

"Tasteless fools, they don't understand real art."

"I'm beyond words, today we saw passion brought to life!"

Miette went back out to the stage with Serena and their pokemon.

Miette tried to ignore Serena but continued glaring at her. Serena now paid no mind to Miette.

"Ladies and gentlemen, cast your votes!"

Each member of the audience held up their light. Miette began to shake while watching the lights tally up. Serena showed no such angst and simply waited. The results not meaning to her what they did to Miette.

Finally, the last light arrived and Miette looked up with Serena.

The results were close but in the end clear.

Serena slowly exhaled as she lowered her head.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the first Kanto Queen, Serena Achille!"

Serena didn't speak, she just reached out to embrace her pokemon.

Miette trembled as a sheering pain ripped through her.

Silver's expression went blank and his mouth hung open.

"The Golduck, lost?"

Aria came down in front of Serena with a look of immense respect.

"Honor this title and inspire others to achieve their potential." Aria handed Serena a solid gold key with a white diamond in the handle.

"Kanto Queen."

Serena closed her eyes and felt a tear across her face.

The sound of the audience crying out to her, the devotion in the faces of those she loved.

Serena emerged from further inside the training center until she felt the warm embrace of her parents.

"There she is! Our precious Kanto Queen!" Alex lifted Serena up and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Grace took over for him and wiped a tear from her eye.

"I'm so proud of you."

"Mama."

When Grace let go of her daughter, all three were caught off guard by another figure who almost bum-rushed in.

Serena felt herself lifted up and kissed once again, only this time on the lips.

Ash and Serena remained locked in their kiss while Alex nearly screamed.

"Who the hell are you!?"

Grace tried to restrain Alex but he forced himself forward. That was until a strong hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Hello, I assume you're Serena's parents." Felix said firmly in Kalos.

Alex and Grace looked back at Felix and his imposing stature.

"You achieved your dream." Ash spoke with the warmth of the sun.

Serena continued to blush and hugged him tightly.

"Ash, thank you, for everything." Serena fought back tears.

Grace now chuckled.

"So, this is Ash. Nice to finally meet you."

Alex grit his teeth and nearly shook as he saw Ash hold Serena up.

Felix, however, mirrored Grace's expression.

Soon, their entire group reunited.

"You're not coming back to Kalos!?" Alex nearly screamed with a frantic expression.

Serena nodded.

"Aria will stay here for a bit. Together we're going to plan out Kanto showcases while I also perform across the region. Eventually, I'll have to defend my title."

Grace hugged Serena once again.

"We'll miss you tremendously but this is your dream. Live it."

Serena fought back tears once again as Alex embraced her.

"Don't forget us."

"I couldn't, papa."

Shauna, Joc, and Tierno each took turns hugging Serena.

"Don't forget us either. Now that you're a queen and all." Serena giggled at Shauna.

"Never."

"We'll probably stay a few more days. Enjoy Kanto while we can. Let us know if you want to hang out." Serena nodded.

Shauna glanced back at Clemont and Bonnie for a moment before walking away.

"Mr. Achille, Mrs. Achille." Ash said respectfully.

"You can call me Colonel." Alex said sternly.

"Papa!"

Delia looked a little uncomfortable, even as Felix translated for her.

"Serena says you're an aspiring training?" Grace asked.

Ash nodded.

"Soon I'll be in the KPTL and one day the Elite Four."

Alex didn't seem convinced.

"and now?"

"Now he's a teacher here. Someone with burning passion like Serena." Felix faced Alex down with an intense gaze.

"…Well, if Serena is staying in Kanto from now on, we'll need to find her a place to live."

"That's already taken care of papa." Serena said as she held Ash's hand.

Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped, wishing she hadn't said that.

Grace and Alex looked at Ash, then Serena.

"What?" Alex almost stuttered.

"Felix, Delia, we should get to know each other better. Why don't the four of us go out for dinner." Grace said while getting in front of Alex.

"What!?"

"Have fun!" Serena cried as she walked out with Ash.

"Wait! Serena!" Felix now helped Grace restrain Alex.

"Serena!"

As Shauna departed, she felt Clemont's hand on her shoulder.

"Shauna, I thought you were beautiful out there. Truly." Shauna held Clemont's hand and pulled him closer.

"Merci, I appreciate you coming out to support me."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world."

Shauna glanced back at Bonnie and smiled.

"Tierno, Joc. Bonnie's never seen Saffron city before. Why don't you three spend some time together, show her around."

"Huh?" Tierno said looking confused.

"That does sound fun!"

Joc sighed.

"Alright."

"We're not going with them?" Clemont asked before Shauna giggled and grabbed his hands.

"No, I thought we'd go back to my hotel room."

Clemont's face turned red and his body trembled.

* * *

That night, Silver stood in a large office with an anxious demeanor.

He carefully glanced at a man with blue hair, a woman with red hair, and a Meowth who stood upright. All three carefully encircled him around the officer while another man wearing a black suit sat behind a desk.

Lying beside him was a very large Persian.

"She lost then."

Silver grit his teeth.

"Yes."

The man stopped writing for a moment and tapped the end of his pencil against the desk.

"Your little slut fucked up then."

Silver's eyes turned fiery and he slammed his hands onto the desk.

"Don't call her a-"

Before Silver could finish, the man grabbed his jaw and held him like the pincer of a Kingler. The three figures around them began to chuckle.

"Listen to me and listen good. I let you use my assets for your little hobby for one reason and one reason only. It shows the value of my assets, very expensive assets."

"It's not a hobby, I-" Silver was silenced by a blow to his face.

"Shut up! I don't give a shit what it is to you, these assets are going to bring in more money than any of my previous ventured. However, my clientele isn't just going to be trainers, performers and coordinators will pay just as much for perfect pokemon. Your Kalos slut was suppose to show the value of my assets. She failed."

Silver began to tremble.

"You want to keep fucking her, I don't care. But she's done with my assets. As for you." The man hurled Silver onto the ground before his desk.

"You'd better win your precious Qualifiers and get into the KPTL. My pokemon are the future and you will put them there. If not, I'll have no further use for you, just like your mother."

Silver's fist opened and his body continued to tremble.

"Now get out of my sight."

"You heard him brat!" The Meowth clawed at Silver until he ran out of the office.

The man in the suit sat back down and looked at a monitor. The monitor displayed a scientist hard at work inside a lab.

He walked in front of several glass tubes filled with liquid and figures inside.

"James, Jessie, Meowth."

"Yes, boss." The three bowed their heads.

"Go check on the doctor, make sure he's focused on his work."

"Right away."

Silver breathed heavily and slammed his fist against the wall.

"Silver!"

He slowly looked up and saw Miette in front of him. Miette saw the mark on his face and began to tremble with tears in her eyes.

"…He's upset with you isn't he, because of me."

Silver remained silent.

"Silver, I-"

Miette was cut off when Silver wrapped his arms around her.

"Eh?"

"It's not your fault, you tried your best." Silver wiped the tears from Miette's eyes and took a deep breath.

"Let's get out of here."

He held her Miette's hand as they departed.

Inside the lab, the scientist stared at two of the glass tubes. Unlike the other tubes, these ones housed more distinct figures.

The scientist placed his hand on one and stared intensely at what lay inside.

* * *

_Author's note_

_And thus Serena has become Kanto Queen, I hope you enjoyed the showcase_

_In case any of you are wondering, I have seen the sword and shield anime trailer and quite frankly...I'm not impressed, it literally looks like sun and moon 2.0 and I mean that disparagingly. _

_If you liked it, that's fine, as for me it seems like they're doubling down on turning Pokemon into Yokai Watch. Quite frankly, I don't think it's going to revitalize my interest in pokemon like X and Y did. I know I've said this before but this will likely be my last Pokemon story...Maybe, right now the only other pokemon story I'd consider making is maybe another crossover with Super Sentai like I did years ago(still being amourshipping of course) but I doubt I'll ever do it unless I feel like a large number of people want to see it and I doubt that...Because the idea is just so dumb_

_Once I finish here I'm likely going to get to work on publishing an original fantasy novel and maybe writing another Lion King fic(**MAYBE**) _

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Prelim Q4 (xxx) play unbeatable, I assume you know from where

* * *

Ash and Serena sat beside each other at a wooden table.

Across from them were Lucy and Brock. The four were at _Nagai's Grill_ enjoying some drinks.

"Pika!"

"Syl!"

Pikachu and Sylveon had slightly dizzy expressions after having sipped some of their partners' drinks.

"Alright, guys that's enough." Serena giggled as she pulled Sylveon away.

"Pikachu, you can't get sick before tomorrow." Ash said sternly but Pikachu appeared spaced out.

"Pikachu, Sylveon. Alcohol isn't good for pokemon." Brock said shaking his head.

Both pokemon were set down but almost immediately tried to climb up for more sake.

However, Toxicroak grabbed the two pokemon and pulled them away. Sylveon held onto Pikachu in terror upon seeing the poison Pokemon's glare.

Lucy gave an immensely frustrated expression watching her husband and friends drink while she stared down at her stomach.

"Lucy, your due date must be soon. Are you excited?" Serena spoke a little faster after having some sake. She wasn't drunk but Ash could tell it was having some effect on it and kept a close eye on how much sake she was drinking. He remembered well what happened at the club.

Lucy nodded.

"Very soon, at least I hope." Brock tried to rub Lucy's shoulder but the irritated look in her eyes made him wise up.

"Here you are, enjoy!" The two servers said as they set their food down.

"Thanks, Giichi, Hikoaki."

As they began eating, Brock and Lucy carefully watched Ash. He didn't appear anxious like he had so many times before. But that didn't ease their minds.

"Ash, things have still been going well at the training center."

"Definitely! Gou and my other students have shown great improvement. Gou even caught a Nidorino and an Ekans. He's even considering traveling to Pewter city for a gym battle."

Brock chuckled.

"I don't know if he's ready for Forrest."

"Things are getting busier with the Prelims tomorrow. According to the manager, a very special guest of honor is coming with Mr. Dohen tomorrow. We weren't told who but apparently he wanted all hands on deck. I feel bad for Ahim, she has to handle the craziness tomorrow with everyone else."

"…How are you feeling about it?" Brock cautiously asked.

"Guys, I'm fine. Whatever happens tomorrow, I won't give up on my dream." Serena smiled with her eyes closed and wrapped her arms around Ash.

Brock and Lucy had heard similar things from Ash before but this time his sincerity convinced them.

Ash and Brock handed back their bills to the owners who served them.

"Thanks, again."

Ash continued to talk with Brock and Lucy when Serena overheard a conversation inside the grill.

"Did they seem happy?" The third owner said as she cleaned some dishes beside Magmar.

"Yes."

"Good, they're our best customers and are practically keeping us afloat." The third owner took out a bill as her husband and son nearly went crestfallen.

"Ehhhh! We can't be doing that bad! All of our customers leave happy!" Giichi bellowed.

The woman sighed.

"Not enough customers come through this part of town. We don't have money to advertise and can't move. We have to take what we can get!" She shouted in a weary manner.

Serena couldn't help but feel bad for the Nagais. She wished there was something they could do to help.

* * *

That night, Ash slept soundly despite Serena's concern he would become too anxious.

However, Ash did wake up early. He glanced over at the clock and saw it was only six-ten.

Ash tried to fall back asleep but he had rested a bit too well was wide awake now.

Unable to sleep, Ash took a deep breath and slowly got up, moving carefully not to wake Serena. Though this became difficult as her arms were still around him.

After getting dressed, Ash took his pokeballs and left the apartment.

Despite his earlier indulgence, Pikachu was able to run across a series of rooftops with Ash. Eventually, they stopped and watched the sunrise from atop a skyscraper with Ash's other pokemon.

The cresting light from beyond the horizon began to shine over the Saffron bay.

From the skyscraper, their eyes were gifted to the sight of various water pokemon surfacing and dancing about.

The light slowly cast itself onto more and more of Saffron city. The vast streets and buildings that Ash and his team had called home for three years now.

Pikachu and the others noticed the street corner where Ash's fights had once been held. They looked at it with lament and pain, however, such feelings dwindled.

Ash had also seen the corner but paid it no mind.

Whatever it had once been to Ash, it was nothing now.

Soon, all seven focused their attention on the training center.

Ash took a deep breath as his eyes turned blue for a moment. Each of his pokemons' eyes did the same as they nudged against him.

"We've come a long way haven't we."

"Pika."

"Grouuu."

"Tile."

"Grauuu."

"Raptor."

Ash felt immense angst inside Squirtle as he stared back at the training center.

Squirtle almost shook until he felt Ash's arms wrap around him.

"Squirtle." He spoke with the warmth of a comforting fire.

"I just want you to do your best."

"Pika." Squirtle looked at his companions who mirrored Ash's expression. Each also nudged their head or put their hands on him.

"Squirtle."

Unknown to Ash, Felix watched him from another building with his Lucario. However, they weren't alone. Another figure wearing an aura guardian jacket stood beside Felix with their own pokemon.

"He certainly looks like you. I wonder if he acts like you too."

Felix chuckled.

"No, thank Reduka."

"It's been some time since we've come back to Saffron city."

"What do you think?"

"Hmp, the more it changes, the more it stays the same."

Felix chuckled.

"Is that good or bad?"

The figure turned.

"I'll see you at the Prelims."

A few hours later, Ash and Serena arrived at the Trainer Center.

His parents were already there with Brock and Lucy.

"Morning everyone!" Serena said cheerfully.

The others nodded.

"Quite the turnout." Brock said looking at the vast number of people walking past them.

Ash didn't pay them much mind, instead, he focused on the rival trainers.

Some he recognized but most were strangers to him. However, he could feel their aura, their ambitions and determination to fulfill their own dreams.

With a deep breath, Ash turned to the others.

"I need to get going."

Felix and Delia both hugged Ash.

"Good luck." Delia said warmly.

When they withdrew, Serena came in and planted a long kiss on his lips.

"Whatever happens out there, this is your moment. Go for broke!"

Ash shared Serena's fiery expression and nodded with his fist raised.

"Something tells me you'll be truly battling this time." Brock added.

"Ready Pikachu?"

"Chu!"

Ash joined the other trainers, particularly Eli and Will who waved him over.

"There you are, we were worried you'd miss it." Eli laughed.

"Miss this? Never!"

"Ohh, look who else showed up. Here to gloat no doubt." Will said upon noticing Justin's approach.

"You got me." The larger trainer laughed.

"I'll bet you came to see whoever the big VIP is. I hear it's Cynthia."

"Believe it or not, Eli. I do care about you guys and want to see you succeed. If I get to see Cynthia in the process, it's just a perk."

Ash chuckled with the others.

Meeting the champion of Sinnoh did sound fun. Ash wondered if Cynthia would remember him from their brief encounter years ago.

"Well, we better get going. Do your best out there."

Serena and the others watched Ash disappear further into the building.

"Ash!" A familiar voice cried.

Gou rushed in with his Scorbunny.

"Ash!"

"Sorry, Gou, he's already backstage." Serena said.

"Awww, I wanted to wish him luck."

Felix smiled more.

"Gou, I managed to get some special seats for this particular event. You're welcome to join us."

"Special seats?" Serena asked, the others looking just as confused.

"Really! Thank you!"

Felix led them into a private box within the main chamber.

Like last quarter, the audience was packed to the brim. Not quite as many as Serena's showcase but still nearly full.

Serena and the others sat down in cushioned seats with comfortable space between each other. The private box provided them with a phenomenal view of the chamber itself.

"Incredible!" Gou almost stuttered in excitement.

"Geez, Felix, how did you pull this off?"

Felix smiled.

"Let's just say I have connections."

The lights began to dim around them and a figure appeared at the chamber's center.

A spotlight revealed it to be none other than Malcolm Dohen.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome one and all to the fourth Quarter KPTL prelims! Today each of us will bear witness to five extraordinary trainers continuing their journey to the KPTL qualifiers! Without further ado, I present our competitors!"

Dozens of lights shined from above and revealed Ash with the other trainers.

Each stood with vehement resolve to win their place in the KPTL.

"Now! for our guests of honor!"

"Guests?" Ash thought.

"Pika?"

"Presenting the strongest trainers in the world! Sinnoh Champion Cynthia and World Champion Daniel Rian!"

"Ehhh!" Eli, Will, and Ash nearly went crestfallen when they saw Daniel appear with Cynthia before them.

The audience was no less taken back by Daniel's appearance.

"No way!" Lucy almost toppled over out of her chair and Brock nearly fell forward.

"Daniel Rian!" Even Serena lost her breath upon seeing him.

"Ahhhh! Daniel Rian!" Gou and Scorbunny held each other while shaking.

Felix sat back with a smile.

Daniel took the microphone from Malcolm and removed his shades.

"Good morning trainers, friends, and pokemon enthusiasts! I'm happy to see so many out in support of our trainers here today. Each of them has trained hard to put their dreams and ambitions in motion. Only five can continue to Qualifiers but all of them hold the spirit of our leagues around the world. Cynthia and I were once in their shoes, now we have the honor of seeing them through!"

Cynthia took the microphone.

"I don't know about you but I'm ready to see what the future of the KPTL holds! The trainers will face each other in three rounds. The first round will be a double-battle! We'll see how well a trainer's team works together or doesn't."

Daniel glanced over at Cynthia who smiled humorously.

"Round two will test how strong their entire team is by having a best out of three battle. Finally, our finalists will face each other in a single one on one battle. Don't hold anything back here because your opponent certainly won't."

Daniel and Cynthia's speeches created a new wave of conviction within the trainers.

Ash looked over at his friends who confidently smiled back.

Ash eventually found himself facing another trainer across a large battlefield.

His opponent was a young woman with short blue hair and green eyes.

"The battle between trainer Ash and trainer Lila will now begin. Choose two pokemon!"

Ash looked over to Pikachu who nodded.

"Pikachu, you're up. I choose you, Sceptile!" Sceptile lept from his pokeball and landed swiftly beside Pikachu.

"You shouldn't have gone first! Go Ninetales! Nidoqueen!"

Lila's pokemon stood imposingly in front of her.

Inside the private box, Serena and the others were so focused on Ash that they didn't hear a set of footsteps. All except Felix.

"Nice entrance back there. Not too flashy."

"You always said such things mean you're compensating for something."

Everyone else nearly jumped out of their skin when they saw Daniel and Cynthia.

"Ahhhhhh! Ddddddddaniel Rian, Cynthia!" Gou and his Scorbunny held each other again and went pale.

Brock nearly sprinted to the champions and respectfully bowed.

"Daniel, Cynthia, I'm, pokemon doctor Brock. Former Pewter City Gym leader! It's an honor and privilege!"

Daniel sweatdropped.

"Calm down, no need to bow."

Cynthia chuckled.

"You haven't changed have you."

"Ahhhh! You remember me!" Brock clasped his hands together and teared up.

"Cynthia! Daniel! I'm Pike Queen Lucy! Frontier Brain of the Battle Pike!"

She grabbed their hands and tried to bow despite her stomach.

Daniel continued to sweatdrop while Felix laughed.

"This is the life you wanted."

"I never said I wanted fame."

"No, you said "I'll become the greatest trainer who ever lived!" Well, things come with that title."

"Wait, you know Daniel Rian!" Delia screeched.

Daniel nodded.

"Felix here was my teacher. He showed me how to train pokemon and train myself."

"Daniel's told me so much about you, now I finally get to meet the legend in person." Cynthia said before Delia pushed herself in front of Felix and furiously grabbed his jacket.

"You've known Daniel Rian all these years and never told me! I could have interviewed him! I could have made a column about him!"

"….That's why I didn't tell you." Daniel gave an appreciative nod.

"Felix tells me his boy is quite the trainer. I look forward to seeing what he's got." Daniel sat down beside Felix while Cynthia sat beside him. To her left, she saw Lucy and Brock staring at them intensely.

"….I should ask Diantha how she disguises herself."

Daniel noticed Serena and Gou nervously looking back at him.

"You look familiar." Daniel said.

"Ehhh!" Serena nearly froze.

"Yes I remember, you're the new Kanto Queen aren't you!"

Serena continued to tremble.

"Yes, I, I."

"Congratulations, we saw your performance on TV. Quite breathtaking."

Cynthia nodded.

"Performing with six pokemon at once, and with such passion. It nearly brought a tear to my eye. Did you get invited here for this?"

Serena shook her head and blushed.

"Ash is my boyfriend."

Daniel looked back at Felix for a moment.

Serena had only just noticed Grovyle had come out to watch Sceptile and had paid no attention to the champions.

"Begin!" The ref shouted.

"Sceptile use Agility! Pikachu Double Team!"

Lila's team tried to keep track of Ash's team but Pikachu's and Sceptile moved too fast.

"That won't work, Earthquake!"

Nidoqueen crashed her foot into so hard into the ground it caused a small quake.

Luckily for Ash's team, they trained for such moves.

The real Pikachu jumped into Sceptile's arms and the grass started lept high above Earthquake.

Lila only smiled.

"Thank you, Fire Blast!" Ninetales jumped into Nidoqueen's arms and was lifted up before she breathed a fiery symbol into the air.

"Thunder!" Pikachu jumped forward from Sceptile's hands with his cheeks sparked.

"Chu!" Pikachu's Thunder tore apart Fire Blast and went straight for Ninetales.

"Brick Break!" Ninetales lept from Nidoqueen's hands and Nidoqueen herself smashed apart the Thunder with her paws.

"Leaf Blade!"

Just when the electricity dispersed, Nidoqueen saw Sceptile in front of her with his blade arms raised.

"Fire Blast!" Lila almost frantically shouted.

"Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu came back down and kicked off Sceptile's back.

"Pika! Pika! Pika!" Pikachu coated himself in pure electricity and trust through Ninetales symbol fire.

Pikachu made impact with Ninetales at the same moment Sceptile slashed Nidoqueen's arms back then slashed her body three times.

Grovyle took a stance like a Samurai sheathing his katana.

"Vyle!" Grovyle clasped her hands together and blushed uncontrollably.

When Pikachu landed, Ninetales and Nidoqueen fell over.

"Guys!" Lila held her face as she screamed.

"Trainer Lila's pokemon are unable to battle, the winner is trainer Ash!"

Ash threw his fist up and cried out for his pokemon.

Pikachu and Sceptile pumped fists with each other before rushing to Ash.

Serena now led the audience in a thunder of applause and cheer.

Daniel nodded.

"He is good. His bond with his pokemon is particularly strong." Daniel slowly turned back to Felix as he almost chuckled.

"So you trained him then."

"I showed him the basics, he's a fast learner. A much better student then you were."

Daniel smirked.

"I turned out alright, maybe its because I had to compensate for my bad teacher."

"You were always a better trainer than Aura Guardian."

"I made a choice to pursue my dreams." Felix glanced at Daniel's forearms and pulled his sleeves down to reveal a black variant of hidden Blade Bracers.

"Hey, I may inactive but I'm still an Aura Guardian, just like your son."

Felix shook his head.

"He's not a Guardian. I only trained him for a month."

Daniel's eyes widened before he looked back at Ash through aura vision.

The world champion was taken back by the strength of Ash's aura.

"He's that powerful from just a month of training? He did the rest on his own!?" Daniel now watched Ash much closer.

Cynthia once again noticed Lucy glancing over at her.

"…..I hope I don't regret this. So you're a Frontier Brain?"

"Yes! I've always prided myself on my ability to raise powerful pokemon! Is that what inspired you!?"

"Well, not exactly but-"

"Sorry to ask but there are rumors that you and Daniel eloped in your hometown. Are they true?" Lucy tried to whisper.

"…I regret this." Cynthia thought to herself while sweat dropping.

She took a deep breathed and revealed a ring made of white gold with a piece of Garchopite embedded inside.

"Garchopite wedding ring! That's so awesome!"

Cynthia glanced back at Daniel and blushed a little.

"How did it happen!? You two! The best trainers in the world, that sounds too good to be true!"

Cynthia sighed again.

"Well, it happened after our rematch. I was quite upset that he beat me again, in my own home turf no less. Those damn Golbats called the press wouldn't leave me alone but Daniel offered to take me to somewhere private. I just wanted to get away and he brought me back to my own hometown…I felt stupid for not thinking of it. One thing led to another and here we are."

Lucy nodded.

"Enough about me, as champion I don't see as many average trainers as I use too. What do you think of the average trainer nowadays?"

Lucy thought for a minute and then gave a disappointed sigh.

"Well if I'm being honest, I feel like a lot of them these days are just trying to catch as many pokemon as they possibly can instead of having a strong core team. So many are coming in with pokemon that don't stand a chance against mine because they caught too many and haven't trained the ones they have."

Cynthia nodded.

"That is a problem. Maybe I should try and encourage trainers not to do that."

Unknown to the women, Gou was carefully listening to them and writing down notes with Scorbunny.

Cynthia was about to speak again when she only now saw Lucy's pregnant stomach and stared at it with interest.

Meanwhile, Ash walked back to the sidelines with Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Alright, you impress as always. It's my turn now!" Eli proudly proclaimed as he went past Ash and took the field.

"Eager as always." Will said shaking his head.

Eli won his match and continued with Ash and Will to the next round.

There, Ash faced off against the next opponent. Another young man a few years older than Ash with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes.

He also had a hulking body like Justin's. Also could also sense something else, a familiar power burst through the young-man. Felix kept a close eye on the trainer as well.

He looked over at Daniel who nodded in agreement.

"Trainer Ash will now face trainer Sasuke. Each trainer may choose three pokemon to be used once. Best out of three wins. Trainers chose your pokemon."

Ash took out his first pokemon and brought it up to Pikachu. The electric-mouse put his hand on it with confidence and support.

"I choose you, Staraptor!"

"Staraptor!" The mighty predator pokemon nearly drew up a gust of wind upon his arrival.

Sasuke carefully took out a pokeball of his own.

"I'm counting on you. Let's win this together! Go Pidgeot" Sasuke's Pidgeot came out and nearly cast a shadow over Staraptor. Ash could see their opponent was one and-a-half times larger than Staraptor.

Neither Ash nor Staraptor hesitated though.

Nor did Serena or the others appear concerned. All except Felix.

"Staraptor use Double-Team and Arial Ace!"

Staraptor flew fast enough to generate a dozen duplicated of himself that encircled his opponent.

However, the Pidgeot remained where he was and smiled with Sasuke.

"We'll see through the illusion."

At that moment, Ash felt the bond between Sasuke and his Pidgeot. It was all too familiar. He and Pikachu nearly lost their breath when they saw Sasuke and Pidgeot's eyes glow blue for a moment.

"Air Slash!"

Despite his immense size, Pidgeot moved with Staraptor's speed and intercepted the real one, casting Staraptor aside with his mighty talons.

"Staraptor!" Serena nearly covered her mouth.

Felix grit his teeth.

"Woah." Eli's eyes widened and Will almost stumbled.

"How'd he do that?"

"Staraptor, use agility!"

"Don't let him run, Hurricane!" Staraptor grunted against the strain of Pidgeot's storm.

"Sky attack!"

Pidgeot focused harder to increase Hurricane's intensity but Staraptor wouldn't give in.

"Staraptor!" The Predatory bird came like an artillery piece toward Pidgeot.

"Agility." Pidgeot masterfully evaded Sky Attack. Serena and the others nearly cursing. Ash and Pikachu, however, hadn't given up.

Ash's eyes glowed blue with Staraptor's.

"Raptor!" The audience let out a uniform gasp when they saw Staraptor's sharp turn. Pidgeot didn't even see Staraptor before he collided into him with Sky Attack from behind.

"Alright!"

"Pika!"

"Amazing!" Serena clasped her hands together while Felix nodded.

Sasuke had taken notice of Ash and Staraptor's eyes. He looked at them again and finally noticed Ash's bracer on his left forearm.

"Ahh, that's it then. I thought I felt something." Sasuke's smile widened.

"This will be interesting then."

Despite taking Staraptor's Sky Attack, Pidgeot regained his flight pattern and faced him again.

"Pidgeot, Air Slash!"

Ash would have used Double-Team but from his suspicions about Sasuke, he was certain it wouldn't work.

"Agility!" Staraptor rolled and tilted away from Pidgeot's talons.

"Ot!" Pidgeot's eyes lit up with the power of aura. With two more precise slashes, Pidgeot slashed the inside of Staraptor's wings and sent him tumbling down.

"Staraptor!" Ash reached for his pokemon but it was too late.

Pidgeot slashed Staraptor again and sent him into the ground.

"Staraptor is unable to battle!"

Ash took a deep breath and returned Staraptor.

"Don't worry Staraptor, we've got it from here."

"Pikachu."

Even with Ash now on the ropes, Serena and the others remained optimistic for his sake.

"Don't lose focus." Felix whispered.

Sasuke returned Pidgeot and smiled proudly.

"Great moves out there. Just one more win and then the final round."

Ash drew his next pokeball at the same time Sasuke did the same.

Sasuke smiled but to his surprise, Ash did the same.

"I choose you, Lucario!"

"Go Machamp!"

Lucario stared down his opponent who did the same.

"Ash, if you are what I think you are, let's make this really interesting." Sasuke pulled up his sleeves to reveal hidden-blade bracers on his forearms, confirming Ash's suspicions.

Ash smiled with Pikachu and Lucario.

"Sounds good to me."

"Eh?" Serena and the others were confused. But Felix and Daniel smirked.

"I guess I'll get to see if your boy can fight."

Ash and Sasuke threw their arms out. Their entire bodies now glowed in a reddish-blue aura while Lucario and Machamp did the same.

Without a word, the two pokemon charged forward and clashed. The spectators were in awe. Ash and Sasuke performed a series of fighting moves while standing in place. Lucario and Machamp mirrored their trainer's moves perfectly.

Gou and his Scorbunny tried to keep track of the furious strikes but it became increasingly difficult.

Lucario kept himself moving with acrobatic jumps and weaves. Machamp, however, moved similarly. His strikes came in with power but his own agility caught many in the crowd off guard.

Ash and Sasuke increased their intensity and the pokemon did the same.

Even with their ferocity, neither looked feral or even angry. They, along with the pokemon, seemed passionately enthusiastic.

Lucario managed to land a few kicks and Machamp a few minor blows but neither could strike decisively.

That was until Machamp managed to grab hold of Lucario's arms with two of his own.

"Grouu!" Ash threw his arms out again and a pulse of aura erupted from Lucario's hands.

Machamp lost hold of Lucario for a moment but then grabbed him again with all four arms.

Both pokemon struggled to maintain their hold and the bursting aura power around them only magnified in intensity.

"Grouuu!" Lucario threw himself forward and managed to get inside Machamp's arms with his right palm in his opponent's face.

"Aura Sphere!"

"Grouuuuu!" Machamp found himself hurled.

"Swords Dance!"

Lucario raised his hands back into a fighting stance while Machamp was still in the air.

"Close Combat!"

"Superpower!" Machamp landed in time to raise his arms. Unfortunately, Lucario reached him first and bore down the full fury of his aura filled fists one after the other in an almost continuous manner.

When Lucario stopped, the aura around him receded and Machamp collapsed.

"Machamp is unable to battle!"

Lucario came back to Ash and locked forearms with him.

"Well done."

"Pikachu!"

"Thank goodness." Serena breathed a heavy sigh of relief while Gou had shook.

"That was so awesome!"

"I see you haven't lost your touch, sensei."

Felix shook his head.

"That's him, not me."

Sasuke returned Machamp.

"Good effort out there. Looks like he'll be our judgement then."

"It all comes down to one more pokemon folks!"

Sasuke eagerly reached for his final pokeball with Ash.

"Ash, this has certainly been fun. But now you've awoken the true beast of my team. I hope you're ready!"

Ash smile back confidently with Pikachu.

"Only if you are."

"Let's go partner!"

"I choose you, Charizard!"

The two goliath fire lizards nearly shook the audience around them with their thunderous roars.

Shouts of exuberance and anticipation filled the audience upon seeing two Charizards of near equal size about to face off.

Serena now noticed both Charizards wore metal necklaces with a jewel embedded in the center.

"Huh?"

"Two Charizard? Well best not make it confusing for the audience then. That is if you can handle it?" Ash reached for the keystone on his bracer's underside.

"Let's find out!"

Sasuke's smile grew and he reached for his left bracer's underside.

Both trainers now glowed with aura again while the Charizards became enveloped in colorful spearers of light and aura.

When Sasuke's Charizard finished, he had Mega Evolved into a Charizard X.

Serena had seen mega evolution before and became giddish in anticipation to see Ash's Charizard Y. However, when the sphere vanished, Serena felt her breath vanish as she saw Charizard in a form she had never even heard of before.

Ash's Charizard looked like a dragon, even more so than Charizard X. His body was sleeker and shaped more like a dragon. The skin around him was an onyx black while his stomach almost glowed an emerald green. His tail flame mirrored the stomach's green and was shaped like an arrowhead.

Charizard's feet had become green with spikes coming out of his knees and across the spine. Green fins grew from his forearms with U shaped spikes atop his shoulders and wings. The membrane of his wings also resembled green flames.

Emerald spikes adorned the sides of Charizard's mouth while a black horn rested on the front of his snout and two larger ones pointed back from the sides of his head with a fin coming between them.

"Mega Charizard Z!"

"Charizard Z! I've never even heard of that before!" Lucy bellowed out in astonishment.

Brock scrambled to his feet and took as many pictures as he could.

Gou had stars in his eyes seeing the Mega Charizards face off.

"Now the real battle begins, about time. Kudos on giving him Charizardite Z. I thought only those with Draconid Aura could use that."

Felix smiled.

"We are descendants of Circe through my mother's side."

"Ahhh, I forgot about your all too impressive heritage. No wonder he's so strong with Aura. Your dad would hate you for not completing his training."

Felix nodded.

"Maybe but that doesn't matter."

Ash and Sasuke threw their arms up.

"Let's go! Dragon Claw!"

Charizard X and Z slashed with ferocious intensity. Their claws hit each other like striking swords. Each impact smashed dragon-power across the battlefield below.

"Air Slash!"

"Brick Break"

Charizard X brought his claws and forearms into Charizard Z who attempted to guide them away with his own wings, to limited success. Charizard X managed to hit Charizard Z's side but was now exposed.

"Grauuuu!" Charizard Z flew into Charizard X with his claws and wings slashing across his entire body.

"Dragon Pulse!"

Charizard X and Z formed up with expressions of true competition. Channeling their dragon aura, both Mega Charizard shook the stands with their bursting jets of dragon power.

Ash and Sasuke kept their fists forward while their Charizards pushed more and more intensity into Dragon Pulse. The two attacks buried themselves deep within each other until an explosion sent a blowback of wind through all the stands.

"Outrage!"

"Dragon Claw!" Charizard Z flew into the eye of the hurricane. Immense bursts of dragon-power flew past him with growing intensity.

Each time one came close, Charizard Z would slash it apart with Dragon Claw. However, the closer he got to Charizard X, the more difficult this would become.

Even so, Charizard Z felt Ash with him, his strength didn't waver and he finally reached Charizard X.

"Grauuu!" With three grueling strikes, Charizard Z slammed Charizard X into the ground where he reverted back to a simple Charizard.

"Trainer Sasuke's Charizard is unable to battle! The winner is trainer Ash!"

Serena almost jumped up from her seat again in excitement.

Delia similarly sighed in relief while Brock and Lucy joined Gou in cheer.

Felix nearly lost himself in pride while Daniel glanced at Cynthia.

"You may have been right about him after all." Cynthia smiled as she recalled her first encounter with Ash years ago.

"Charizard! That was aw-" Ash was cut off when Charizard slammed into him. The great fire-lizard had Ash pinned to the ground while licking his face.

Pikachu had jumped down just in time and shook his head.

Sasuke helped his own Charizard up and stared over at their opponents.

"You ok?"

The Charizard gave a disappointed look.

"Don't feel bad. That was a worthy fight." When Ash got up he saw Sasuke and his Charizard in front of them.

"That was definitely, exciting." Sasuke extended his hand and Ash gave a look of mutual respect before shaking it.

"A few months ago, I don't think we'd have stood a chance."

Sasuke chuckled when he saw Ash only had one bracer.

"Probably, all I have to say is you better win now." Sasuke's Charizard growled intensely as he nodded at Ash's Charizard.

When Ash came back to the sidelines he saw Eli and Will staring at him in awe.

"What was that!?" Eli grabbed Ash and shook his shoulders in a near feral-excitement.

Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped as they just now realized everyone had seen them use aura.

"We, uh, you know just really got into it."

Will narrowed his eyes.

"Teach us how to get that into it then."

While Serena and others waited in their private box between Ash's matches, Daniel noticed Gou nervously look back at him again and again.

Felix smacked the side of his shoulder.

"I think he wants to talk to you." Daniel gave a tired sigh.

"Gou was it?"

The boy nearly turned pale and trembled with his Scorbunny.

"Mmrrrr. Riannnnn."

"Just call me Daniel."

"I, I." Daniel waved Gou to come closer. It took every bit of courage Gou and Scorbunny had to do this.

"Mr, I mean Daniel. I just wanted to say what an honor it is to meet you. You're an inspiration to trainers around the world!"

"Just him? I'm so hurt." Gou turned pale again.

"I mean, all champions are! He just… I-" Gou struggled to breathe while Cynthia chuckled.

"Calm down, I was only rattling you." Gou tried to calm his breathing.

"May I see your Scorbunny?" Scorbunny didn't wait for Gou and jumped into Daniel's hands. The world champion carefully examined Scorbunny while gently stroking his fur.

"Extra muscle-growth. He's being trained well." Gou began to shake in excitement.

"Thank you! Ash has been teaching me!" Daniel glanced back at Felix for a moment.

"Do you have any other pokemon?"

"Yes! I have a Fearow, a Nidorino, and an Ekans. I think we're ready to challenge our first gym leader!"

Lucy smiled at Brock again while Daniel nodded.

"Ahh yes, I remember my first gym leader. It was right here in Saffron city actually."

"You won flawlessly didn't you!"

"Nope." Daniel showed no hesitation or regret in his tone.

"Huh?" Gou sounded almost flabbergasted.

"We were wiped out. I was kind of depressed since we had trained for weeks. But eventually, I found a teacher who showed me how to learn from my mistakes."

Felix nodded almost smugly.

Gou felt a bursting passion inside him when he heard Daniel had struggled early in his career.

"My dream is to one day be like you!"

Daniel gave another tired breath.

"Gou, you need to understand, you're never going to be me."

Gou nearly went crestfallen while Delia, Serena, Brock and Lucy all shot to Daniel with almost horrified looks.

"No one can be me."

"…Oh." Gou felt his heart sink as Scorbunny mirrored this expression.

Serena and the others couldn't believe Daniel's cold remark. However, Serena also noticed Felix and Cynthia seemed strangely calm.

"Gou, I'm Daniel Rian, world champion is just a title I happen to have. Anyone could be world champion, one day you could be world champion, maybe even a better champion than me."

Gou and Scorbunny's faced drastically changed to renewed optimism.

"Gou, you shouldn't base your success on emulating other people. Don't try to be anyone but your best self. Whoever that is and wherever it takes you is up to you."

Serena and the others now understood what Daniel was saying and felt some inspiration from it like Gou.

"He's right, I'm not trying to become Daniel. One day I'm going to finally beat him." Daniel smiled back at Cynthia with fiery competition.

"You can keep trying."

"Thank you, Daniel! I won't be anyone but me! Future world champion!"

Daniel smiled warmly at Gou and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I look forward to the challenge."

A few minutes later, one of the center employees came in with a tray.

"Mr. Rian, sorry, Daniel. Mr. Dohen asked me to bring you guys some drinks."

"Ahh, good old Malcolm. We appreciate it."

The server handed out glasses of various alcohol to those in the box. Gou reached for one but Serena took it before he could. Much to Gou's disappointment.

Lucy gave another frustrated look when she saw the others drink. However, she noticed a very anxious expression on Cynthia's face as she shook in disapproval when offered a drink.

"Not thirsty?"

Cynthia tried not to look at Lucy.

"I just uh, alcohol makes me have to piss bad. I don't want to keep getting up."

Lucy wasn't convinced and smiled.

"I miss drinking too." Lucy said as she rubbed her stomach.

Cynthia stared at Lucy again.

"….You can't tell anyone, we don't want a media circus following us around."

"You have my silence." Cynthia exhaled in relief.

"….Are the symptoms as bad as they seem?"

Lucy tried to appear optimistic.

"They, well…..You get used to them."

Cynthia rolled her eyes.

"Great."

"How are you going to avoid the media?"

"Again, keep this quiet but once I start showing, I'm heading home to stay with my grandmother until the baby's born. We want to keep them away from the spotlight as long as we can."

Lucy nodded, she couldn't imagine how hard it would be for a child growing up under such conditions.

Finally, Ash and his friends arrived in the final round.

Ash watched as Will and Eli faced their opponents. Will managed to win and now Eli's battle drew to a conclusion.

"Overheat!"

"Grauuuu!" Eli's Charizard blasted the opposing Hitmonchan with a blazing inferno that left him covered in soot and burn-marks.

"Hitmonchan is unable to battle, the winner is trainer Eli!"

"Yes! We finally did it!" Eli's Charizard lifted him up as the crowd cheered.

Ash took a deep breath and felt Pikachu nudged his neck.

Eli almost hugged his friends upon returning to the sidelines.

"I can't believe it, all this time and we're finally in! I can't breath, I-"

Will put his hand on Ash's shoulder.

"You've got this."

Ash nodded and slowly walked onto the field.

"Our final battle for this Quarter's Prelim will be between trainer Ash and trainer Hikoma!"

Ash and his opponent faced off on two ends of a pool.

Serena, Lucy, and Brock's eyes widened when they saw this.

"Wait a minute." Lucy held onto Brock's hand tighter.

Ash and Pikachu stared at his sixth pokeball.

"Trainers, choose your pokemon!"

"I choose you, Squirtle!" The water-turtle came out in front of Ash.

"I have no idea why he threw you away, you're amazing, we'll prove it here! Go Gyarados!"

Ash felt his nerves tingle and his breath cease when he saw Hikoma's Gyarados crash into the pool.

Serena felt her breathing grow heavier.

"What are the odds of that." Brock almost ignored Lucy's comment as he stared closer.

"No way, it can't be."

Ash's eyes widened and he looked through his aura-sight for a moment. There was no denying it, this was Silver's Gyarados, the one he used to beat Squirtle before. What was he doing here? Why did this trainer have him?

Ash thought back to seeing Silver on tv with a Gyarados that hard markings on it. Could it be that was a different Gyarados and he had given his original away?

"Pikachu." Pikachu jumped down beside Squirtle who recognized Gyarados and trembled so hard he nearly fell over.

"Sqqqqquir."

Ash knelt down and put his hands on Squirtle's shoulder.

"Squirtle, it's ok. Don't worry about what happened before. Whatever happens, I'm proud of you."

Squirtle saw and felt Ash's devotion to him. He looked at himself, the scars he still had from that night in the fighting club.

Squirtle's eyes soon turned to blaze and he reached inside his shell.

"Squirtle!" Ash and Pikachu smiled enthusiastically when they saw Squirtle take out a pair of shades and put them on.

"Huh?"

"How about that." Serena looked back at Brock who almost chuckled.

Squirtle faced Gyarados who furiously snarled back, clearly remembering Squirtle.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle aimed his right paw, at Gyarados's face.

(xxx)"Begin!"

"Gyarados use Outrage!"

"Graaa!"

"Squirtle, use Aqua Jet!"

Squirtle lept into the water and sped through it like a torpedo, avoiding each blast of dragon-power that Gyarados brought forth.

"Skull Bash!"

"Crunch!"

Squirtle aimed himself carefully and propelled into the air at Gyarados's face.

The great sea serpent snapped his jaws toward Squirtle but the smaller pokemon had aimed well and narrowly avoided his foe's razor sharp teeth.

Squirtle hit Gyarados's head and unlike last time, Ash could see pain on the pokemon's face.

"We can do this!"

"Pikachu!"

"Dragon Dance!"

"Iron Defense!"

Despite hardening his defenses, Squirtle continued to torpedo through the water with Gyarados hot on his tail.

"Thunder!"

"Get out of the water!"

Squirtle burst himself into the air moments before Gyarados's bolt of electricity filled the entire pool with terrible power.

"Ice Punch!"

"Squirtle!"

Squirtle came back down with a chilling strike to Gyarados's head.

"You've got him!" Serena too up again and held her arms up in enthusiasm.

"Dragon Tail!"

Unfortunately for Squirtle, the blowback from his punch brought him back into the air just enough for Gyarados to crash his battering ram tail into the water turtle.

Ash grit his teeth seeing Squirtle fly uncontrollably through the air.

"Now we've got him, use Thunder!"

The world seemed to slow around Ash and Squirtle. It was happening again. But at that moment, Ash found his answer.

"Hmp, I guess we go for broke, Squirtle use Dragon Pulse towards me?"

Squirtle wanted to question Ash's decision but obeyed him without hesitation.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle nearly made a tidal wave and soaked his trainer, as well as Pikachu.

"Pika." The electric moms groaned. Ash simply smiled as he saw the blowback hurl Squirtle away from Thunder and onto Gyarados's head.

"Huh!?" Hikoma nearly yelped.

"Dragon Pulse!" Gyarados tried to look up and saw Squirtle dig his claws into his skin.

"Squirtle!" At point-blank range, Squirtle unleashed his dragon power right into Gyarados's head and created another tidal wave that moved in every direction.

When the steam cleared, Serena was the first to see Squirtle standing proud on a belly-up Gyarados.

"Gyarados is unable to battle! The winner is trainer Ash!"

Once again, the world began to slow around Ash and his pokemon.

They had done it. After three years, they had finally won the prelims. Already soaked, Ash didn't even care and jumped into the pool with Pikachu.

Squirtle swam into his arms and hugged Ash tighter than he ever had before.

None of them spoke, they simply teared up.

Serena herself fought back tears while Gou and Scorbunny jumped up and down.

"My boy!" Delia hugged Felix tight while Lucy grabbed Brock and kissed him.

Daniel and Cynthia continued to gaze at Ash with profound interest.

"I thought so."

Ash, Eli, and Will stood with two other trainers in the center stage.

Each had all six pokemon out while Daniel, Cynthia, and Malcolm Dohen approached.

"As a formal representative of the KPTL, it's my honor to give you our winners! Each of these trainers and their pokemon has proven themselves worthy of moving onto Qualifiers next month. Your journey isn't complete but each of you has made a great step forward. Remember this day!"

Malcolm handed each of them a silver badge in the shape of the KPTL's symbol.

"Be sure to bring this to Qualifiers."

Ash showed the symbol to his team. Each of them felt the weight of this moment. Prelims, the daunting task that had kept them trapped for years was now over. Their dream was finally within reach and it was just waiting for them to take it.

Each of them put their paw on it with a passionate gaze.

"Next step, the KPTL."

"Pika!"

"Squirtle!"

"Tile"

"Raptor!"

"Grouuu!"

"Grauuu!"

Serena continued to watch Ash with a loving gaze. However, she finally began to notice many others in the audience take a keen interest in him.

She recognized them as sponsors from various businesses and remembered what Ash said about them.

Serena wondered which one Ash might sign up with. However, another idea floated into Serena's head. She almost felt nervous about asking Ash to do it but wanted to at least bring it up to him.

* * *

Later that night, Ash and Serena held hands as they walked through the streets of Saffron city.

"How does it feel?"

Ash and Pikachu both took long breaths.

"We haven't felt this way in a long time. Like we can finally see the destination, that we're within arms reach. Achieving our dream is finally before us."

Serena hugged Ash tightly.

"I'm so happy for you."

"I will admit, those sponsors weren't so pleasant." Serena giggled.

"Really?"

Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped.

"They circled us like Staraptors. Will and Eli enjoyed it enough but it just got tedious after a while."

"Pika."

"Did you accept any offers?"

Ash shook his head.

"Not yet, I have to think it over." Serena nodded with an optimistic look.

Ash stroked Pikachu's head.

"_Nagai's Grill_ sounds good."

"It's my favorite place here!" Serena kept her head rested against Ash while they walked.

Eventually, they arrived at _Nagai's_ Grill where to Ash's surprise he saw Giichui, Hikoak, and Megumi waiting for them with their Magmar. Ash could sense great angst in their collective aura. He could also see it on their faces.

"Uhhh, evening." Pikachu sweat dropped with Ash.

"We're just so excited to see our favorite customers!" Giichi held the back of his head with his right hand.

Ash began to feel similar angst in Serena through their aura bond.

"Are you guys ok?"

Megumi took a deep breath and came forward with a focused look.

"We wanted to congratulate you on making it to qualifiers."

Ash nodded.

"Thanks, it certainly has been a tough journey. But we finally made it."

"Your dream is finally within reach." Hikoak slowly rubbed his arms.

"Ash, the Nagais have been struggling with their business." Serena admitted with her head lowered.

"You are?"

All three and their Magmar gave tired sighs.

"Not everyone comes here as often you two."

"That's crazy, you guys are great cooks! Your grill is the best in all of Saffron city!"

"Pikachu!"

Giichi shook his head.

"Not as many people come through here as they use to. We don't have money for more advertisement or relocation."

Hikoak put his hands on Giichi and Megumi's shoulders.

"We've done our best but if more customers don't start showing up, the grill will go out of business."

Ash and Pikachu nearly froze in sorrow when they heard this.

Serena put her hand on Ash's shoulder and stared deeply into his eyes.

"Ash, I've offered to help them with my performances."

"Huh?" Serena smiled.

"Performers can get sponsors too. I offered to spread their name during my performances."

Ash and Pikachu began to understand. The Nagais all stared at Ash with determination.

"Ash, we can't offer you big money like the other sponsors but your help would go a long way. Once customers start coming back-"

Ash raised his hand and the four held their breath. That was until they saw Ash's confident smile.

"You have a dream and to seems like there's no way forward. I understand better than most." Ash stroked Pikachu's cheek.

"I enjoy my job at the Trainer Center. I can keep at it until Qualifiers. If we can help you guys stay in business, we will!"

Giichi, Hikoak, and Megumi all felt their hope return.

"Thank you! From now on, dinners are on us!" Megumi shouted with her arms up.

Hikoak turned to her.

"Can we afford that?" Megumi smacked his shoulder.

Serena blushed as she wrapped her arms around Ash and kissed his cheek.

The two eventually sat down to eat with Pikachu and Ash's other pokemon.

The Nagais had prepared each of them a fine meal to celebrate their victory.

Each ate with profound confidence and optimism.

"Just another month until Qualifiers. That doesn't seem as fair to you guys who made it in the fourth quarter. Less time to prepare." Ash shrugged.

"Ehh, it also means we'll be fresher. A month is enough for us. What about you, where is the first Kanto Showcase?"

Serena shook her head a little while still smiling.

"It won't be for a bit, we still have a lot of planning to do. But in a few weeks, I'll have my first performance here for the Silph Co's 20-year anniversary celebration."

Ash almost dropped his fork.

"Silph Co! That's huge, they're the biggest company in Kanto!" Serena's smile was bursting with excitement.

"I'll bet a lot of big people from around Kanto will be there. I have a feeling they'll bow before their Kanto Queen." Serena had to cover her mouth as she giggled uncontrollably.

Ash put his hand on her other hand and the two stared passionately at each other.

Both their dreams were coming true. Their relationship was growing stronger each day and now they could help others achieve their dream. Ash and Serena felt truly alive.

Ash's eyes widened in terror.

"Eh?" Serena felt Ash furiously grab her arm and Pikachu before hurling them to the ground.

"Get down!" Ash's pokemon didn't hesitate and dropped to the deck moments before gunfire ripped through the air around them.

"What the hell!?" Megumi grabbed her husband and son before dragging them down beneath their counter.

"Magmar, robbery scenario!" Magmar nodded and pulled a lever that dropped metal coverings over the grill.

Megumi kept one section open and waved for Ash and Serena to get inside.

Ash made sure to return his pokemon first, save Pikachu and was about to rush in when he heard some familiar voices.

The voices managed to pierce through dozens of terrified screams from pedestrians and ship owners.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

"I thought I saw the asset."

Ash, Serena, and Pikachu heard a painful yelp.

"You idiot, the cops will be here in minutes now!" Another more nasally voice growled.

Ash slowly raised his head despite Serena's protests and saw them.

At the end of the street stood Jessie, James, Meowth with a squad of Rocket Grunts.

"We're on a tight schedule now, find the asset and eliminate before it gets away." Jessie pulled back the hammer on her pistol before she gazed down the alley.

Her mouth dropped with Meowth's and James's doing the same.

"No way, it's the brat and his Pikachu!" Meowth face looked bewildered.

Serena almost jumped in fright.

"Did, did that Meowth just talk!?"

Ash grit his teeth.

"This is bad news, we need to get out of here."

James smiled with malevolence.

"This just got much more interesting." Jessie shook her head.

"We don't have time for the brat, waste him."

They raised their guns while the grunts did the same.

"Thunder!"

"Pika chu!" The alley lit up so bright that many cowering pedestrians had to cover their faces.

"Watch out!" The Rocket gang tried to flee but Pikachu's attack exploded around them.

Ash took Serena's hand while Pikachu leaped onto his shoulder.

"Come on, let's go!"

Megumi continued waving for them to come inside but when it became clear they were going to run, she signed and shut the metal blinds.

The two sprinted at a breakneck pace and didn't look back.

"You know them!?"

Ash grit his teeth.

"It's a long story."

Ash continued to lead them away from the cultural district but the narrow streets made springing difficult.

Gunfire ripped off behind them and all three could feel the intensity growing closer to them. The terrible sound and bursting shrapnel striking their exposed skin.

None of them had felt this afraid for some time.

"There they are!"

Ash held Serena tighter and threw himself into a doorway, dragging her inside the building with him.

Five grunts rushed in after them with pistols drawn.

"Come out now!"

"Are you fucking stupid, if they come out we'll shoot them!"

"Are you fucking stupid, they won't come out now!"

Ash, Serena, and Pikachu hid on an elevated walkway built against the interior walls.

Ash and Pikachu tried to ease their breathing until they noticed Serena holding a pistol.

"You have a gun!" Ash was careful to whisper.

"…..It's a long story."

The five spread out while Ash and Serena kept a watchful eye on the exit.

"Shouldn't we be looking for the asset?"

"Maybe it hid in here too. Find the lights."

"Screw that, just use Zubat."

Ash's eyes widened when he saw three Zubat come out.

He took a deep breath.

"If something happens to me, run."

Serena almost gasped and trembled.

"Ash!"

"Run!" Ash wasn't asking her, it was a command.

He aimed his right hand down and a ball of aura formed.

"Huh?" Three of the grunts saw the light in time for it to burst.

All three grunts felt their guns get forced from their hands.

"Ahhhh!" Ash lept down and pummeled the first grunt with his foot.

The second and third grunt drew electric batons before swinging them at Ash in a feral manner.

Ash used his acrobatic fighting style to avoid or counter each blow with a strike to their arms.

Within a minute Ash's fists cracked into the skill of the second grunt with heavy-punches that flipped him onto his side.

The third grunt kept at him but carefully reached for a second pistol he had hidden in his pants.

Just when he managed to draw it, the grunt's nerves cried out in harrowing pain while blood soaked his sleeve. Ash had finally drawn his hidden blade and stabbed the grunt's gun hand.

"Shhhhhh!" The grunt was silenced by a blow from Ash's other palm, one so hard it cracked the jaw.

The third grunt had scrambled to his feet with his gun reclaimed.

"You fucking freak-"

The grunt found himself lifted off the ground by an aura sphere unleashed by Ash.

The gun went tumbling away as the grunt became embedded in an empty wooden crate.

"Pika chu!" While Ash fought off the grunts, Pikachu knocked out all three Zubat with electricity and Serena nearly became lost in Ash's fighting.

She had seen these moves in Ash's match earlier that day but now saw them used against other people.

However, Serena snapped back to reality when she saw the other grunts trying to flank Ash with their guns raised.

Serena didn't hesitate and carefully aimed her gun.

"Gahhhh!" The first grunt felt two bullets rip into his gun hand.

Blood soaked the gun's handle and the man dropped it.

The last grunt looked up at Serena and scowled.

"You little!" The grunt aimed at Serena only for two bullets to rip through her own gun arm.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"Pika chu!" The wounded grunts felt their nerves seize up when Pikachu blasted them.

Jessie, James, and Meowth stood outside with their other grunts. Also with them were half a dozen Zubat, a Weezing, and an Arbok.

"Hmp, we don't have time for this. Let's find the asset before."

"Hands on your heads now!" The rocket gang looked back down the alley to see Lieutenant Onishima with Jenny, Iris, Arcanine, Fraxure, and eight other police rushing toward them.

"Stop in the name of the-" Jenny was cut off by bursting gunfire by Jessie.

"You're annoying-" Jessie now jumped back when Jenny fired a return shot that flew through her hair.

Ash, Pikachu, and Serena stayed down while the firefight outside intensified.

"We need backup on the cultural street!" One of the officers screamed through their radio.

Arcanine and Fraxure assisted the police against Team Rocket's pokemon.

Eventually, Onishima took careful aim with his revolver and hit a Rocket grunt in-between his eyes.

When Jessie and James saw this, they re-examined their situation.

"Let's get out of here!"

The Rocket gang began to withdraw when Iris looked back up and saw Meowth.

"Come on! Let's go!"

Iris's eyes widened and she got up out of cover.

"Hey, what are you doing!?"

"That Meowth just talked."

Meowth looked back at Iris who's eyes turned to pink hearts while she clasped her hands.

"So cute!"

"Eh?" Meowth nervously sweatdropped.

Iris's face became one of shadowy terror as she moved forward with a pokeball in hand.

"He will be mine!"

"What!?" The other police sweatdropped while Meowth frantically looked around to see the other Rocket members had runoff.

"Wait for me!" Iris made a dead-sprint after Meowth with Fraxure close behind.

"Stop! Get back here!" Onishima led the other police after Iris.

Ash, Serena finally came out of their hiding place with heavy sighs.

"Are you ok?" Ash almost frantically held Serena's shoulders as she nodded.

"What you did back there, that was-" Serena blushed uncontrollably.

"It was nothing, I can't believe you shot those grunts."

Serena nodded without any regret in her eyes.

"They were going to shoot you, I'd say they got off easy."

Ash sweatdropped with Pikachu until the three heard something else.

"Pika?"

Pikachu lept down and rounded a corner inside the building.

"Pika!" Ash and Serena quickly followed Pikachu's voice until they saw him in front of a little girl. The girl trembled while hiding behind some crates.

"Woah, easy there. They're gone now." Serena tried to bring the girl out but she simply grabbed Pikachu and held him tightly.

Ash sensed nothing but fear in the girl but something was off. This girl's aura felt strange somehow.

"Please, we aren't going to hurt you. We only want to see if you're ok?" Ash's warm voice finally brought the girl out with some nudging from Pikachu.

Ash and Serena finally saw her. The girl looked to be perhaps seven yeas old. Her skin was pale and her body thin. Her eyes were a deep blue and her hair a shoulder-length cyan-like color. She wore a yellow dress that seemed strangely unique.

In her eyes, Ash saw the same fear that flowed through her aura.

"That's it." Serena knelt down and put her arms around the girl as she tried to comfort her.

"Can you tell us your name?"

The girl continued shaking.

"Amber."

* * *

_Author's note_

_After so many years, Ash has made it through prelims and will finally face Qualifiers, _

_Everyone got to meet Cynthia and Daniel Rian but their parts in the story aren't done yet_

_A new figure has appeared, what part will she play?_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Quest

* * *

The rising sun shined over Saffron city and brought forth its light into Ash's apartment.

Amber was fast asleep on the couch with Pikachu wrapped in her arms. Pikachu wasn't alone, however, Sylveon and Staraptor slept at the two ends of the couch by close by her while Absol slept directly beside her.

By this point, many of the other pokemon were awake and stared at the strange girl their trainers had brought home.

Lucario looked over the girl with his aura vision.

"Grauuuu?" Charizard growled at Lucario while nudging against him.

Lucario sighed and shook his head, unable to give any answers to the others.

Just like Ash, Lucario felt something strange about her aura.

A few minutes later, Ash and Serena carefully came out of their bedroom.

"Morning everyone." Ash made sure to speak quietly as he came among his pokemon.

Serena knelt beside Amber and stroked her head. The little girl's very-pale complexion was concerning enough, it looks as if she had never seen sunlight. But it only got worse, she looked almost half-starved.

Despite these warning signs, Amber didn't appear to have any signs of physical abuse. Serena saw no bruises or marks on her body. The dress Amber wore didn't appear to be in poor condition either, the only dirty bits were from the warehouse last night.

"Pika." Serena stroked Pikachu's head. The electric mouse still felt Amber's firm grip around him. He could tell something traumatic had happened to the girl and hoped he could provide her with some comfort.

Ash had an uneasy look about him as he came up behind Serena.

"You think we should have taken her to the police?"

Serena tightened her lips.

"Maybe, she looks like she hasn't eaten in a while. Plus her skin is too pale…You don't think her family's mistreated her do you?"

Ash took a deep breath and looked to Lucario who shook his head.

"I don't know but Lucario feels the same thing I do."

Serena turned back to Ash.

"What do you mean?"

"Something about her aura, it seems off, different. But I've felt it before."

Serena looked even more confused.

"Where?"

Ash was silent for a moment as he looked over at Sceptile.

"Silver's Venusaur."

Serena carefully looked back at Amber.

"I'll admit I wasn't trained back then but I had always felt something around pokemon, I just hadn't realized what it was. That Venusaur's aura was different than anything I'd ever felt before, until Amber."

Serena put her hand back on Amber's shoulder and stared deeply at the little girl.

An hour later, Amber's eyes slowly opened.

"Pika." The electric mouse nuzzled his head against her.

Amber saw the other pokemon around her as well. One by one, they came close enough for the little girl to hug them.

"Morning." Serena spoke softly and with motherly warmth. Amber slowly looked up at Serena's smile but still nearly trembled in fear.

"Did you sleep well?"

Amber nodded while hugging Sylveon tightly.

Serena could see the fear in Amber's eyes and knelt in front of her.

"Amber, are you hungry?" the little girl nodded and Serena's smile was renewed.

"Well, I made you some breakfast." Serena picked Amber up and carried her to the dining table.

Amber almost furiously ate the Kalos toast and eggs Serena had made. Amber also guzzled the orange juice so fast she nearly choked.

"Easy, don't rush yourself." Serena carefully rubbed the little girl's back. While she ate, Amber occasionally looked over at Squirtle who had come beside her and hugged him tightly.

After Amber finished, Ash put a coffee mug in front of her.

"I thought you might like this too. Be careful though, it's hot." Serena and Pikachu gave Ash stern looks when they saw steam rising from the cup.

"Ash, she's not going to like coffee." Amber took a careful sip before her eyes lit up.

"So tasty! Thank you!" Amber drank the liquid as fast as she could without burning herself.

"Eh?" Serena and Pikachu were almost awestruck at how well Amber handled the coffee.

"She's got some tolerance, the first time papa gave me coffee I spit it out."

"Serena, that's hot chocolate."

"…..Oh." The young woman and Pikachu sweatdropped in embarrassment while Ash almost smugly stroked their face and shoulder.

When Amber finally finished, Ash and Serena sat down beside her.

"Thank you, for letting me stay with you, and for breakfast."

Serena stroked Amber's shoulder again.

"Amber, can you tell us what happened last night?"

Amber tightened her grip on the mug and nearly shook.

"I had to get away from the bad people. Papa told me to run away as fast as I could."

Ash moved a little closer.

"Bad people? You mean Team Rocket, they were after you?"

Amber's fear ran came through her aura like a dam about to burst.

"Papa said to run away from the people with R's on their shirts. To run away from the talking Meowth."

Ash and Serena slowly turned to each other. This meant that Amber was the one Jessie and James had been after last night. Then why had they referred to her as an asset?

Ash wondered if her father owed Team Rocket money and they were trying to use her as leverage. Serena looked back at Amber with a serious expression.

"Amber, who is your papa?"

"Dr. Fuji."

"Dr. Fuji?" Serena held her chin.

Ash raked his brain when he realized that name sounded familiar.

"Dr. Fuji, the renowned scientist."

Serena looked back at him.

"You know him?"

"I've heard of him, a few months ago I saw on the news he went missing."

Ash and Serena stared at the table for a moment.

"We should definitely go to the police now." Ash glanced back at Amber for a moment and remained quiet.

"Ash, Serena, you have to help papa! The bad people took him away!" Amber's voice became uncontrollably frantic.

"We will, Amber. We'll go to the police and you can tell them where your papa is." Serena tried to ease Amber with a firm grasp on her shoulder but Amber's distraught look remained.

"But papa could be in serious danger, and all my other friends too. How long will it take?"

"Other friends?" Ash moved a little closer as his eyes keened in on her.

"What other friends?"

"Charmandertwo, Squirtletwo, Bulbasaurtwo-"

"Eh? Charmandertwo? What do you mean?" Serena's expression was more than a little lost.

"That's what papa calls him and the others. They're just a Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur." Amber looked back at Squirtle before hugging him again.

"Squirtletwo is just like yours only with green marks on his head."

This caught Ash and Serena's undivided attention.

"Amber, do your other friends have markings like that?"

Amber nodded.

"I also have another friend, Mewtwo."

"Mewtwo?" Ash felt his breath vanish.

He had heard of Mew before. Even before his training he knew Mew as a Legendary Pokemon, one many questioned even existed. In part of his training, Ash had to read up on many legendary pokemon from the old Guardian books and manuscripts.

According to Guardian theology, Mew was the second son of Reduka after Arceus. Mew was supposed to be the Guardian of Kanto and that he guided Guardians like Altair and Sir Aaron.

"Amber, is your friend a Mew?" Ash tried to remain calm as he asked but Amber only looked more confused.

"Mewtwo is just Mewtwo."

Ash sat back and glanced at each of his pokemon. They shared a conversation through their aura bonds which ended in a nod from each.

"Serena, I want to take her to my dad."

"Huh!? Why?"

Ash clasped his hands together.

"Something's going on here. Her aura, this Mewtwo, I have a bad feeling about this." Serena felt Ash's angst and reluctantly nodded.

"What about papa!?"

Ash eased Amber as he put his hand on hers.

"Amber, I promise you we're going to find your dad. It's just mine might be able to help." Amber didn't look happy about it but nodded.

* * *

Ash knocked on his father's door and waited while Amber stirred in a mixture of frustration and fear. Ash, Pikachu, and Serena felt bad for making her wait like this. However, Ash felt compelled to have his father look at her.

Finally, the door opened and Felix peered his head out.

"Oh, morning Ash, Serena. I didn't know you were coming over."

"Morning dad, sorry to bother you but this is important."

"Ash, it's no bother. What's wrong?"

Ash moved enough to reveal Amber.

"Amber this is my dad, Felix. Dad this is Amber?"

"Hello." She spoke in her soft tone.

"Hello there." Felix took in Amber's aura with the same confusion and intrigue Ash had felt.

"Come in."

Ash and Serena carefully guided Amber inside where they saw Felix wasn't alone.

Delia was there of course with her Mr. Mime sweeping around. But Daniel and Cynthia were also in the apartment. Cynthia had a flustered look about her as Delia hounded her with questions while taking notes.

"Daniel!" Ash almost jumped upon seeing the world champion.

"Ash, Serena. Good to see you both."

"What are you doing here!?"

Daniel smirked at Felix.

"It's been a while since I saw my old sensei and your mother really wanted to interview us."

Cynthia gave a frustrated look at Daniel. Delia's unrelenting questions took its toll on the Sinnoh champion.

Daniel simply smirked back.

"I may even see Oak too, I know he'd love to hear some info I got from professor Carolina's last lecture."

Cynthia's angry expression retreated.

"I also managed to convince him your students might like a lesson and you might like a training partner." Felix put his hand on Ash's shoulder while he and Pikachu almost trembled.

"Daniel, training with me!"

"Ash." Serena sternly motioned him towards Amber.

"Right." Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped.

"Dad, I thought you'd like to meet Amber."

Felix looked back at Amber's strange aura again and nodded.

"Yes." Daniel also sensed her aura with intrigue.

"Who's this?" Delia set her notepad down and walked over with Cynthia.

"This is Amber." Serena had her hands on Amber's shoulders as the little girl nervously look around at the strangers around her.

"Hello."

"Amber's father is in trouble with Team Rocket, we found her last night being chased by Jessie and James."

Delia looked sternly at her son and his girlfriend.

"Well, it was nice of you to take her in but shouldn't the police know about this?"

"No." Felix's answer was steel-like and he knelt in front of Amber. The Aura guardian did his best not to seem abrasive or frightening to the little girl.

"Amber, we'd like to know more about you."

"What about papa!"

Felix carefully held Amber's hands and brought some warmth to her.

"I promise we'll help him but we need to talk first. Do you like pokemon Amber?"

The little girl slowly nodded.

"How would you like to meet two of the strongest pokemon in the world?"

"Really!" Amber sounded excited for the first time.

Daniel and Cynthia carefully took out two of their pokeballs.

From Cynthia's pokeball came her mighty Roserade. From Daniel's came a shiny Feraligatr. Like his Charizard, this Feraligatr was much larger than an average Feraligatr. His muscular body was almost too big to move around in Felix's apartment.

"Awwwww." Amber nearly lost herself at the sight of the champion pokemon. She wasn't the only one either, Ash, Serena, and Pikachu had to restrain themselves.

Amber hugged Roserade and then climbed onto Feraligatr's back.

After a minute, Amber relaxed enough to tell the others what she had already told Ash and Serena.

Delia joined in with Serena as they tried to comfort Amber. Felix, Daniel, and Cynthia glanced back and forth at each other during the story.

"_Her aura, what do you think?" _ Felix looked back at Daniel.

"_In all my years I've never seen aura like hers before. It's almost like that aura is calling out from beyond and manifesting itself around her."_ Felix and Daniel spoke through their aura to keep the conversation to the adults.

Although Cynthia, Delia, and Serena weren't Guardians, their connection to the others allowed them to listen.

"_What about Mewtwo and the other pokemon she described?"_ Felix took a deep breath and stroked his chin.

"_I've never heard of a Mewtwo before but she's called her other friends by their pokemon name with two."_

Daniel looked exchanged glances with Cynthia.

"_You've heard of Fuji haven't you?" _ She nodded.

"_He's supposed to be at the top of his field in genetic engineering and biomedical science."_

Serena nervously glanced back at the two champions.

"_What does that mean?"_

_"Dr. Fuji claimed that one day he'd grow organs and limbs in labs through the process of cloning. Some thought he was crazy others believe he might be the first person to successfully pull off cloning."_

All of the adults now stared intensely at each other.

Felix closed his eyes for a moment.

"_Charmandertwo, Bulbasaurtwo, Squirtletwo, and a Mewtwo. Could it be these friends of hers are cloned pokemon?" _

"_Cloning! Felix that's absurd. Even if some people thought Dr. Fuji could pull it off that doesn't mean he did it!" _ Delia tried to appear calm as she helped Amber stay upright on Feraligatr's back.

Ash and Pikachu didn't seem as convinced.

"_I don't know mom, Team Rocket was after Amber and they would have the money to finance such a thing….She described the Bulbasaur two just like Silver's Venusaur, that's it then! The Venusaur was a clone!"_

Serena did her best not to gasp but had to hide her almost terrified expression from Amber.

"_Miette's Golduck too, that explains why they were so powerful. But why would they have them?"_

Cynthia tapped her fingers against her arm.

"_They must have bought them. Think about it, Team Rocket already takes part in illegal pokemon sales. Imagine if they could genetically engineer their own, pokemon manufactured to be more powerful than any ordinary version. They'd flood the market."_ Cynthia sounded utterly revolted at the idea of pokemon grown to be used as tools for making money.

The others felt just as repulsed. People like Team Rocket only saw pokemon as objects or tools.

Felix tightened his fist with a weary expression.

"_She claims one of her friends is Mewtwo…..Could it be somehow Dr. Fuji has managed to create a clone of Mew!"_

Daniel and the others shuttered at the thought of a Mew clone.

The world champion carefully looked at Amber's aura gain and grew more suspicious.

"Amber, you've told us about your dad, that about your mom." The little girl grew sadder hearing this.

"Mama left."

"Amber." Delia held Amber in her arms but Daniel didn't let up.

"What do you remember about her?"

Amber wiped her eyes.

"Before she left, we were happy. Papa and mama were very happy, until one day we went on a sledding trip. I remember being very cold, even when we came back inside. Mama got sad and then mad at daddy, she left after that and papa took me to our new home."

Serena looked strangely at Daniel but he ignored her.

"What do you remember after that? Tell us more about your friend Mewtwo."

Amber's happiness slowly returned.

"Things got better when papa brought Mewtwo. We'd play with him in the Remember Place."

Daniel narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Remember Place? What's that?"

"It was like where I lived with papa and mama. Sometimes in the Remember Place we'd go to where papa and mama took me on holiday."

The others were quite confused by what Amber said. But they were even more confused as to why Daniel was asking it.

"What are you doing?" Cynthia grabbed his shoulder.

Daniel lowered his head slightly, almost ignoring her.

"Ash said Team Rocket was looking for her. That they referred to her as an asset." Daniel looked to his Feraligatr who similarly nodded.

"Alright, I think we've heard enough, we should just call the police. Let them deal with us." Delia was close to shouting with impatience.

Felix and Daniel were fine with the police shutting down a cloning lab. However, if a cloned Mew was there they didn't want just anyone getting it. They knew that even if the police who raided the lab weren't on Team Rocket's payroll, someone down the line would have access to the Mew.

If this Mew clone did exist, it was the Aura Guardians who should look after it.

"Amber, where is your papa? Where did you run from?" Felix brought up a map of the city from his computer and Amber carefully looked it over.

"This one! It's where daddy worked and our new home was."

The others came closer and saw the building was a medium-sized, skyscraper.

"System-corp, they're a tech company that runs out of the city." Delia almost raised an eyebrow.

"I've never heard of them? What do they sell?"

Felix stroked his chin.

"Mostly electronics, phones and whatnot. However, from what some of my sources tell me, the company is a front for Team Rocket. One of their shell companies they use to launder money."

"And hide labs apparently." Cynthia sighed while shaking her head slightly.

"This complicates things."

Serena gave a slightly confused look.

"What do you mean? We go to the police and tell them-"

"A little girl told us her father is being held in a business center. Even if they do get a warrant, I doubt their lab will be in plain sight."

Ash grit his teeth. Cynthia had a point, aside from Amber's word, they didn't have any real proof there was a Rocket Lab there.

Amber's face turned delirious. She ran over to Felix and grabbed at his arm with tears in her eyes.

"What about papa!? You promised to help him!"

Serena tried to ease Amber back but Felix knelt down beside Amber and put his hand on her cheek.

"I did promise. Now I'll make you another promise." With a confident smile, Felix put his hands on Amber's.

"We're going to save your papa and all your friends."

"Eh?" Delia almost stuttered.

Daniel nodded with an all too eager look about him.

"All just like old times then. This should be fun."

Delia's headshot to Felix, then to Daniel, then Ash's and she went pale.

"No! Absolutely not! This isn't happening!" Delia grabbed her husband and son by the collars of their shirts.

Serena quickly came to the realization of what she meant.

"You want to infiltrate the lab yourselves!? That's crazy!" Serena took over for Delia as she scrambled over to Ash and grabbed his shoulders.

Daniel glanced over at Cynthia.

"No objection from you?"

Cynthia chuckled.

"Like I could stop you from going. Besides, I'm going too."

Daniel's smile hardened.

"Cynthia, I don't think that's a good idea. Your condition-" Cynthia finally joined the other women as she grabbed Daniel with a fiery expression.

"I can't stop you from going. But that doesn't mean you can stop me from going too."

"Cynthia, our baby." The Sinnoh champion's teeth clenched against each other.

"They'll be fine, I'm not far along. I won't be hindered." Daniel took a deep breath and pull Cynthia in for a kiss.

"Just promise me if things get ugly, you'll flee. For their sake." Cynthia felt Daniel's hand against her stomach and reluctantly nodded.

"Serena."

"Ash! You promised me you wouldn't put yourself in danger anymore!"

Ash and Pikachu sweatdropped with frightened expressions as they saw fire ignite in Serena's eyes.

"Felix, I won't let you put yourself and our son in danger like this!"

"But papa!" Delia tried to remain calm as she looked back at Amber.

"Amber, you have to understand."

"Delia!" Felix's voice wasn't too loud but it carried a weight to it. One that shook everyone to their core. Even Daniel and Cynthia.

Felix's eyes weren't on fire like Delia's or Serena's. Instead his face was steel like an Aggron.

"Delia, I'm an Aura Guardian. I made an oath to protect life around the world. Even at the cost of my own. Whatever's going on in this lab is a crime against nature, it's my duty to put a stop to it."

Daniel's expression mirrored Felix's.

"Mine too." The champion gazed at his hidden blades.

"It's been a long time but I'm still an Aura Guardian." Felix felt Daniel's hand on his shoulder.

"And I'm ready for one more mission with my sensei."

Delia slowed her breathing but Serena's ferocity had returned.

"You two may be Aura Guardians but Ash isn't! He chose to follow his dream! Don't drag him into your fight!"

"Serena."

"Ash."

"Listen!"

Serena joined Delia as she saw Ash and Pikachu's expressions turn to steel.

"I will become a pokemon master and I don't see myself making this a regular thing. But the truth is, I've spent so much time fighting, I convinced myself it was for my pokemon. But the truth is, it was for myself."

"Eh? What's he talking about?" Delia turned to Felix who shrugged, feigning ignorance.

Ash put both hands on Serena's shoulders.

"I'm ready to fight for someone else. I have these skills and someone needs help, it's the right thing to do."

Serena fought back tears and pulled Ash in for a back-breaking hug.

"Don't leave me like this."

Ash reassured Serena with a kiss.

A few minutes later, Felix, Daniel, and Ash emerged from Felix's room in their Aura Guardian attire. Cynthia appeared in a similar outfit though hers lacked a hood and was more akin to a traditional infiltrator.

Delia and Serena both gave Ash one more hug, Delia also giving one to Felix.

"In exactly two hours call the police and tell them that they need to get to System-Corp. Do it anonymously, by then we'll have completed our mission or there will be enough noise for them to find us."

Delia almost scowled at Felix when she heard that last bit.

"Don't make me change my mind."

Amber felt ready to burst with excitement.

"Ok! Let's go get papa!"

Felix sighed.

"Amber, you're staying here."

"Eh? But I-"

Ash knelt before the little girl.

"Amber, it's much too dangerous for a little girl. Your papa will be safe and you'll get to see him again."

"Pika!"

Despite this, Amber still tried to follow them out, only to be stopped by Serena.

Felix, Daniel, Ash, and Cynthia went to the rooftop where they looked over their path to the System-Corp building.

"Stay close and don't do anything reckless." Felix was speaking almost directly to Ash and Pikachu who nodded.

"Alright then, let's go!"

The three Aura warrior began free-running across the rooftops while Cynthia rode on her Garchomp's back as he glided from building to building.

Delia waited impatiently by the phone. Every moment felt like an eternity while she stared at the phone's screen.

Occasionally she would look back at Serena as she and her Absol played with Amber.

Doing so kept Serena's mind off her fear for Ash and Amber's angst about her father.

Eventually, they found their way into Felix's bedroom. There, Amber hid from Serena and Absol.

"Amber, we will find you. This place isn't very big."

Serena and Absol smiled as they stared at the closet.

"I wonder if she's in here!" Serena threw the closet door open and Amber scurried out between them, giggling as she did so.

Serena tried to chase after the little girl, laughing as she did so. Although their time together was brief, Serena had already grown extremely fond of Amber.

Serena almost began to blush the more she thought about it. Her and Ash had been dating for months now, not that she was hoping he'd pop the question so soon. But Serena sincerely hoped they would have a future together. She also wondered if that future involved children.

Absol was about to chase after Amber when he felt something in the closet. Absol couldn't explain it but something drew him in. Serena heard rustling from the closet and turned around to see Absol holding a pair of stones in his mouth.

"Absol, don't go rummaging through Felix's things. That's rude." Serena knelt in front of him to see he was holding a mega evolution stone and a piece of Absolite.

"Absolite!"

"Sol!" Absol was giddish in excitement. He almost pushed the keystone into Serena's hand and nudged her to press it.

Serena stared at the keystone for what felt like an eternity.

For a moment, Serena considered the possibilities for performances with Absol mega evolved.

However, Serena let out a sigh before shaking her head.

"We can't just take these without permission."

Absol gave a disappointed moan.

"Amber, give us a minute." Serena heard nothing in reply.

"Amber?" The two looked around the room but Amber was nowhere to be found.

"Amber!" Serena and Absol almost screamed as they frantically looked around the apartment. However, when they got back to the living room, Serena and Absol saw the front door was open.

"Oh no!" The two ran out after Amber without even stopping to tell Delia.

* * *

Elsewhere, a man in a black suit with a Persian beside him stood before a large glass container. The two stared at a figure inside.

"Boss." The man turned to see Jessie, James, and Meowth approach with a man in a lab coat held between them.

"We caught him trying to escape again."

The man adjusted his tie but kept his eyes on the glass case.

"Dr. Fuji, I see you still haven't accepted the gravity of the situation. We made a deal."

The scientist tried to force himself away but the rocket officers held him firm.

"I'm done! These are living creatures! They're not objects for you to own!"

"I paid for them, they belong to me, just like you. I thought you learned that after last night." Dr. Fuji staggered as if he had been struck.

Jessie, James, and Meowth chuckled with evil grins.

"It wasn't slow. We made sure she suffered." Jessie whispered into his ear.

"Who would have thought a little girl could bleed so much."

"Stop it!"

Meowth scratched Fuji's legs.

"Can't be easy, losing a daughter twice."

"Stop it! You bastards! All of you are going to burn in hell!" Dr. Fuji bellowed out with tears streaming down his face.

The man in the suit smiled.

"You'll burn with us then. All of our work here was done by you. Don't forget that, now be a good boy and keep manufacturing my merchandise. Then, maybe if I'm feeling generous, I'll let you make another." Fuji went limp again.

He was dragged off to a small room and shoved inside.

The doctor curled up in the darkness and sobbed uncontrollably.

"What have I done? Amber forgive me."

* * *

_Author's note_

_I hope you guys enjoyed, this wasn't a huge chapter but story-heavy_

_Getting closer to the end_

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest, or ask(VIA PM)_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Power vs Compassion

* * *

Ash, Felix, Cynthia, and Daniel all stared at the System-Corp building from a rooftop across the street.

Ash, Felix, and Daniel used their aura vision to see through the building.

The aura for most of those inside seemed innocent enough. The same as ordinary people on the streets or other buildings. However, a few auras near the top revealed the darkness of greed and feverish anxiety.

Cynthia watched the three with an impatient foot tap.

"Well?"

Felix nodded with the others.

"Most of the people inside are probably employees. I doubt any of them know Team Rocket owns the company except the higher-ups."

The tree looked back down at the ground floor but closer this time.

With a deeper examination, they found more auras hidden underneath the building. The aura was shrouded in darkness. Greet, malice, and ruthlessness.

However, they also felt pain, fear, and confusion. This aura came from pokemon but almost matched Amber's aura.

"Amber's right." Ash and Pikachu turned back to the others.

"There's something down there, beneath the building."

Felix slowly nodded and raised the cloth over his mouth.

"Let's find a way into the lab."

Ten minutes later, the group was inside and remained hidden in the reception area.

Cynthia watched the reception area from an air-duct and carefully waited. Finally, she saw someone approaching from the staircase.

"_Someone's coming."_ Daniel hid within a large set of shrubbery placed along the corners.

His eyes flashed blue for a moment and the true essence of the employee was seen.

"_Just another honest worker._"

Ash and Pikachu watched from a higher ledge within the reception area.

The security camera in front of them had its power cable cut already and the two spotted a woman in a lab coat coming down the stairs.

"_Hold on, we see another." _

Felix joined Ash from his own hiding spot and the two witnessed this woman's true being. Her aura glowed a bright red, her true dark-essence revealed.

"_She's with Team Rocket."_

Daniel carefully positioned himself and took notice of the still-functioning security cameras.

"_I've got this."_

Felix glanced down at his old student with a frown.

"_When was the last time you tailed someone?"_

Daniel smiled back as he cracked his neck.

"_You worry too much sensei, it's like riding a bike."_

Ash and Pikachu carefully examined Daniel's movements. First, he raised his offhand and projected some aura to keep the remaining cameras held in place. Once this was done, the champion moved like a ninja across the reception area. Staying low to the ground just enough to avoid the receptionist and anyone else.

Ash and Pikachu were almost envious of the movements he pulled off. Something they would have undoubtedly learned if they had continued Aura Guardian training.

"_You were saying, sensei."_

_"Well, you did learn from me."_

Daniel disappeared from sight for a minute when he passed followed the scientist through a doorway.

"_I've found the entrance. Get in here."_

Ash carefully climbed down and did his best to avoid detection. By the time he got through the doorway, Cynthia and Felix were already there.

"Where's Daniel?"

Felix motioned Ash and Pikachu to the end of the room. There, they saw the scents laid out in front of two vending machines.

Both machines had been moved aside to reveal a hidden elevator door. Daniel stood at the doorway with a keycard in hand.

"You coming or what?" Cynthia smiled a little as she shook her head.

"Just a keycard, I thought they'd spring for two-factor authentication."

Ash and Pikachu stared at the hidden elevator shaft for a small eternity. The more they stared at it, the more Ash and Pikachu saw it as another door. One leading to a far more dangerous lifestyle, one he had given up.

Ash couldn't help but hesitate and remain where he stood.

"Pika." Pikachu wasn't sure if he should even nudge Ash to continue.

"Ash, are you coming?" Cynthia waved him forward but he couldn't move.

Felix saw this fear in his son's eyes and in his aura.

However, he didn't say anything and simply waited.

"…..No, this isn't like before. We're helping someone, we promised Amber." Ash stroked Pikachu's face and looked at him with a stalwart resolve.

"Pika!"

"Sorry, we're coming!"

Ash and Pikachu rushed beside his father nodded with a proud smile.

"Brace yourselves, now the real fun begins." Daniel pressed the down button and the lift eased itself down.

Ash's resolve became tested with each passing moment. The aura around them flooded Ash with the same terrible sensation that the fight club had. The suffering and lament of the innocent were perhaps even worse here.

A terrible fog too thick to see through.

Cynthia couldn't feel it like the others but their expressions painted a clear enough picture.

The ding of the elevator snapped them back to reality and brought their eyes to the doorway.

When the shaft opened, Ash peered through first. A dark laboratory enveloped their eyesight. The dim lights were enhanced by reflecting off the very well maintained floor.

Pikachu could feel the pulses of electricity from large generators hidden from their current sight. Pikachu's cheeks began to spark. Ash could tell from his connection to Pikachu, Team Rocket was running a great amount of power.

"Hmp, at least it's clean." Cynthia came out first and carefully kept her hand inside her left pocket.

Ash did his best to walk forward with the others. But each step only put him on edge more and more.

The Aura surrounding this lab was eerily familiar. One Aura, however, frightened Ash more than any other. The power behind it was greater than any he had ever felt, it was like a swarming maelstrom of psychic power.

Ash and Pikachu both felt a shiver down their spine. Not a moment later, the door at the end of the hallway opened and a pair of Rocket Grunts came out with a scientist.

"We have to go all the way to the surface to have a smoke, that's fucked up."

"These specimens are worth billions of Yen each, the boss says there's no contamination. He'll cut your tongue out if-" The three Rocket members froze in place when they saw Ash's party.

"Who the hell are?-"

All three were hurled through the doorway into a larger lounge-esc room. The room was dimly lit and held a few couches, chairs, and a cafe area.

Over a dozen other rocket grunts and a handful of scientists rested with coffee.

All eyes turned to them and Ash did his best to seem confident.

"Alright, let's make this simple, just stay where you are and we'll-" Daniel began until every grunt and scientist pulled a gun out.

Ash and Pikachu covered their ears from the deafening volume of gunfire. It was like their very senses were being mauled by feral Arcanine. However, it was only their sight and hearing that were attacked.

Ash and Pikachu felt no bullets and realized no one had felt no projected Aura.

When they looked back, their eyes lit up like the stars. Covering the rescuers was a behemoth Aggron.

Daniel's steel beast let out a satisfied growl as if he had been tickled. Aggron shook himself like a dog and dozens of bullets clinked against the ground.

"I guess we do this the hard way."

In terror, the grunts and scientists tried to reload but Cynthia opened her jacket to reveal throwing knives.

With successive movement, Cynthia hurled her knives into the grunts' arms and hands. These men and women screamed over the sounds of their guns hitting the ground.

"Don't bring a gun to a knife fight."

Despite their pain, a few of the grunts managed to let out a few pokemon, including two Fearow, a Vileplume and Dugtrio.

Cynthia let out Togekiss and dashed at the bleeding adversaries. Despite her pregnancy, Cynthia wasn't physically hindered yet and fought off four grunts using Kenpo styled fighting with a knife in her off-hand.

Her Togekiss made easy work of the Rocket pokemon.

Felix and his Lucario both raised their hands with aura channeling into their would-be attackers.

Five grunts and two scientists felt the aura literally break off the gun barrels. The grunts pulled out batons while the scientists fled in panic.

Felix had to restrain himself when dealing with the grunts. He could have easily ended each of their lives but instead simply cut their batons apart with his hidden blades and broke their bones with his unarmed strikes.

Lucario didn't care much for Rocket pokemon, the two hitmonlee and hitmonchan he faced were left bloodied by his controlled aggression.

Daniel didn't fight as well as Felix but still made short work of four grunts after disarming them with some aura. Similar to Felix, he restrained the use of his hidden blades to their batons.

Ash and Pikachu almost lost themselves in his Aggron's attack. Despite being nearly twice the size of the largest Aggron Ash had ever seen, the beast moved with the same speed as his Sceptile.

Two Nidoking, a Rhydon, a Machamp, and a Magmortar were beaten down as if they were Caterpie facing a Charizard.

Ash and Pikachu felt their mouths hang upon. They had seen Daniel battle on tv but up close, it was like something out of a story.

"Pika!" Ash snapped back to reality when he saw two scientists train their guns on them.

With a horrified expression, Ash lunged to the side, barely avoiding the gunfire. With two whistling bullets, Ash felt his adrenaline rush like a racing Rapidash.

Ash lowered himself and swept his hands out. A pulse of aura knocked both scientists off their feet and sent their guns tumbling away.

Four more grunts sprinted at Ash with batons and guns in hand. Several Primeapes beside them.

Ash drew his single hidden blade and cut the first gun in half. With successive and continues attacks, Ash broke down his opponents with brutal efficiency. For a moment he almost chuckled to himself. The idea that he was back in the fight club was now almost literally true.

When Ash finished the last grunt, he turned to Pikachu who stood over the now unconscious Primeapes.

"Pika!"

"Great work." Ash wiped some sweat from his face and gave a relieved sigh to see the others were just as successful.

"I've forgotten how much fun this can be." Felix smiled back at Daniel and then to Ash.

"It's a damned tragedy, you're a natural." Ash smiled back at his father.

"In another life maybe."

Cynthia looked over an unconscious grunt and found a keycard.

"Got it!"

She tossed the card to Daniel who placed it in a computer terminal.

"Alright, let's see, found him. Head scientist is locked up just two rooms down!"

A fresh rush of excitement returned to Ash. This might soon be over.

Aggron and Togekiss were both returned. Felix quickly led the others through the next hallway from the left. To their relief, there were no more guards or scientists in their path.

Finally, they reached another doorway. One locked by an electronic scanner. Behind the door, Ash felt a weak aura. One broken by pain and destitute.

With a swipe of the card, Ash watched the door open and saw a man curled up inside a dark room only as big as a closet. The man appeared to be in his late fifties or even early sixties. He had long gray hair and a beared that came straight down from his chin. His skin was pale and his eyes brown.

The man stayed curled up like a Sandshrew, tears falling down like a leaking faucet past various bruises and scrape marks.

"Dr. Fuji." Ash spoke up before the others could.

"I told you already, I'd rather die than help you anymore."

"Pika." Pikachu and Ash were both shaken by the state of Fuji.

"Dr. we're here to rescue you."

Fuji slowly looked up at Ash and the others but still looked just as dead.

"Rescue me, don't bother. I'm dead already, just put a bullet in my head and leave me be."

Cynthia, Felix, and Daniel now felt their eyes widen.

"What's wrong with you? You're going to abandon your daughter!?"

"Pika!"

Dr. Fuji's soul seemed to return to him and he sprung up as if he had been shocked with electricity.

"Amber! She's alive!?"

Ash looked almost confused.

"Yeah, we found her the other night. She asked us to find you."

Dr. Fuji began to tremble again.

"She's safe then!?"

Felix nodded.

"She's with my wife."

Dr. Fuji teared up again, he nearly fell over and had to be supported by Ash and Felix.

"My precious little girl! You saved her!" Dr. Fuji struggled to breathe.

"Come on, she's waiting for you."

Dr. Fuji stood up on his own again but shook his head.

"She's safe, that's what matters most. I can't leave yet, not when…Not when they're still here."

"Your creations." Cynthia answered.

Dr. Fuji dropped his head in shame.

"Yes, I've done unethical things here. Things I'm not proud of."

"You're playing Reduka is what you are." Felix nearly grabbed Fuji by the collar of his shirt.

"Regardless, they're living creatures no different from you, me, or him." Dr. Fuji pointed to Pikachu.

"I won't leave them here with Giovanni."

Hearing that name nearly sent a shiver down Felix's spine. Ash felt his father's rage boil over in a terrible fire.

"He's right, we're not leaving them with Giovanni."

"Delia's going to call the police, let's just wait until they get here." Cynthia protested.

"No! By then it will be too late! Giovanni will call upon Mewtwo and kill the police!"

Ash and Pikachu felt a twitch of angst again hearing that name.

"Mewtwo, a clone of Mew." Ash stared intensely at Dr. Fuji who closed his eyes again.

"Yes, Giovanni wanted his own Mew. The most powerful pokemon in the world."

"How could he control such a beast?" Cynthia asked.

"Genetic engineering isn't enough, Mewtwo is different than the others. He developed an almost human-like conscience. Giovanni developed a set of armor to control Mewtwo and it's near completion. We must free him now while we still can, please. Mewtwo is like a child to me, all of them are."

That last bit made Daniel watch Fuji even more suspiciously.

Ash took a deep breath.

"Serena's going to kill me."

Dr. Fuji led the group back through the lounge and into the main lab. There Ash and Pikachu went pale when they saw what was inside.

Over a dozen massive glass tubes filled with orange liquid rested within the lab.

Ash and Pikachu slowly approached a tube and peered closer. Inside was a charmander with red markings across this body. A breathing tube was attached to his mouth and several IV's.

Ash backed up a little while Pikachu reached out for the glass again.

"Chamandertwo." Dr. Fuji came up beside the type and gazed inside.

Felix, his Lucario, Daniel, and Cynthia were just as taken back by the other cloned pokemon. They had, of course, suspected to find clones there. But seeing them in the tubes like this.

Daniel tightened his fist as he examined each pokemon's aura and then looked back at Fuji.

The doctor checked each clone but then felt a strong hand snatch his shoulder and hurl him against a tube.

Dr. Fuji nearly yelped as he saw Daniel with a feral expression.

"We need to talk."

"What's this about, wait a minute, are you, Daniel Rian!" Fuji had only just realized Daniel's identity before he was shaken again.

"I can feel the aura of these clone pokemon, I've also felt Amber's aura." Dr. Fuji began to tremble with sweat pouring down his brow.

"What about it?"

Daniel narrowed his eyes.

"She's told me about her life, what she remembers. I'm not stupid, it's very clear what she is. What you did."

Dr. Fuji tightened his fist.

"She's my daughter."

"That girl is a clone! The real Amber died of hypothermia or something, that's why your wife left. You wanted to clone your own daughter. You're sick!"

Fuji's fear vanished from his face and he stared Daniel down.

"Do you have any children?"

Daniel glanced back at Cynthia for a moment.

"Soon enough."

"Hmp, well when that day comes you'll truly understand what being a father is. What having a child means. You think you love your pokemon, wait until you see your child for the first time. See them smile at you, hear their first words." Fuji began to tear up again.

"When Amber…That fateful trip, it was like my heart was ripped out in front of me…But I realized that I did have the power to get her back." Daniel pressed Fuji against the glass harder.

"You didn't bring your daughter back! You cloned her!"

Dr. Fuji still had tears in his eyes but didn't lose his stubborn expression.

"The moment I took her from the tube and she opened her eyes, Amber knew exactly who I was. She remembered everything about her past, who her mother was. Everything! You know it, she told you!"

Daniel tried to keep his intensity up but Fuji's words struck a chord.

"You can think she's just a clone but I know the truth. Ambertwo is Amber, she's my little girl."

Daniel eased off of Fuji and took a deep breath.

"I don't approve of what you did but I don't deny there may be some truth. Her aura is different, it's calling out from somewhere else…Like her soul has returned….."

Daniel looked inside the other tubes.

"Amber has a right to exist. They all do but this stops here, no more cloning!" Daniel almost breathed fire at Fuji but it wasn't necessary. Fuji nodded without hesitation.

"Fuji, some of these tubes are empty." Felix announced from across the lab.

Daniel and Fuji hurried over beside the others to see Felix was right.

"Damn it, he must have already sold some. I didn't think he'd do that before I removed the physical markings. Wait a minute!" Fuji almost frantically scrambled to a larger tube and broke down in front of it.

"No!"

"What happened!? Is Mewtwo gone!?" Ash was the first to sprint over but he saw Dr. Fuji shake his head.

"Not him, Suicunetwo."

"Suicune! You cloned a Suicune!?"

Dr. Fuji nodded.

"Giovanni wanted a clone of every legendary pokemon." Cynthia narrowed her eyes.

"How many other legendary pokemon did you make?"

"Just those two."

"Could they have made any without you?" Felix asked.

Dr. Fuji almost chuckled.

"These scientists here are glorified lab assistants. They can't do a thing without me."

"Exactly why you won't be leaving, Dr."

Felix and Dr. Fuji felt a chill throughout their bones.

Four figures emerged from the lab's other end.

Three Ash immediately recognized as Jessie, James, and Meowth. The fourth was a man Felix's age with well-combed brown hair and an intimidating statue. He wore a very well-trimmed black suit with a red R on the chest and stared deeply at the intruders.

"Giovanni!" Felix almost growled.

"How about that, Felix Ketchum. You're looking well." Ash turned to his father with a confused look.

"You know the Rocket Boss?"

"I've been trying to bring him down for years."

"You brought your son as well." Ash and Pikachu almost backed up when they saw Giovanni smiled toward them.

"This brat's been a thorn in our side for years." Jessie sneered in her usual tone.

"I don't know, from what I hear he was also once a good source of income for one of my fight clubs."

Giovanni savored the look of guilt on Ash's face. However, it didn't last long. Ash stared back defiantly while Pikachu sparked his cheeks.

"That clubs gone now, just like your operation here!"

Giovanni chuckled.

"I think not. Dr. Fuji will be staying with me. That is if he wants a chance at having his daughter back."

Dr. Fuji came in front of the others and showed no fear.

"My daughter is safe from the likes of you! These people are going to save every pokemon here!"

"I think the doctor did his job too well." James chuckled while heavy footsteps took over their senses.

Ash and the others finally saw where these sounds came from. Behind Jessie emerged a cloned Houndoom and Heracross.

Behind James came a cloned Scizor and Blaziken.

Even Meowth had a cloned Swampert emerge before him.

"Perfectly obedient, as all pokemon should be. But it gets even better, donated by a friend from Kalos."

It was only then, that Ash's party saw Jessie, James, and Meowth all had metal backpacks on. From the backpacks came three robotic arms with cylindrical ends that lit up.

The aura around the cloned pokemon violently expanded. Ash recognized it as Mega Evolution but this wasn't normal. Mega Evolution was drawn on the close bond between a trainer and their pokemon.

This was artificial, forced, it nearly made the aura users sick.

All of the cloned pokemon finished their mega evolution to the horror of their opponents.

"I don't think so!" Ash hurled two pokeballs forward, letting out Sceptile and Lucario.

"Go Garchomp!"

Cynthia's Garchomp joined her and within moments, Cynthia, Felix, and Ash pressed their keystones.

Both Lucario, Sceptile, and Garchomp now squared off in their Mega forms. Giovanni's smile only widened.

"I'm afraid it only it only gets worse."

Ash, Felix, and Daniel almost trembled when they felt it. The psychic aura that had caught their attention since arriving was now bursting through the air like a tsunami.

"Pika!" Pikachu held onto Ash's shoulder as if he was in a gust of wind. The other Pokemon backed up with terrified expressions and Dr. Fuji joined them.

"No."

Another pokemon emerged behind Giovanni. The pokemon stood upright and had whitish skin and a thick tail. Most of its upper body and head was covered by technical armor including a helmet with a black visor.

"Mewtwo." Dr. Fuji said softly.

Ash could feel the creature's aura. He wasn't like other pokemon. He was more self-aware, he was confused, frightened, and angry.

"Mewtwo Psywave!" The pokemon's eyes glowed red from behind his visor and with a flick of his wrist, all of Giovanni's enemies were hurled back. All except, Daniel, who managed to form an aura barrier.

Daniel stared back defiantly as Giovanni laughed.

"So, the Daniel Rian is here. How fitting, the greatest trainer in the world will perish at the hands of the most powerful pokemon!"

Daniel shook his head and smiled in a cocky manner.

"Let me show you, the strongest pokemon in the world." Ash and his pokemon watched with awe.

Daniel's onyx Charizard came from his pokeball and threw his wings out. A gust of wind followed that was strong enough to hurl Giovanni and the others back, all except Mewtwo.

The Charizard and Mewtwo stared each other down. Charizard's growl resembled a stampede of Tauros but Mewtwo remained silent.

Ash, Felix, and Cynthia recovered with their pokemon. Each stood beside Daniel ready to fight.

"Please, don't hurt them!" Dr. Fuji pleaded.

None of them wanted to but if the clones were completely obedient, then their fight could get brutal.

Mega Lucario and Sceptile dashed forward with Pikachu.

All three glowed with aura as Ash synched himself with them.

"I've got years of payback in store for you brat, kill his precious pokemon!" James threw his hand forward and the Mega clones surged ahead.

Mega Scizor flew from one direction while Mega Blaziken came from the other.

"Pika chu!" Pikachu unleashed electroball in front of their opponents. However, instead of stopping, the two continued forward despite being hit.

Mega Blaziken and Scizor slashed forward but Mega Sceptile threw himself in front of Pikachu.

"Tile!" Mega grunted as his blade arms endured the unrelenting power of the clones. Mega struggled immensely and felt himself get pushed back.

"Grouuuu!" Mega Lucario lept off Sceptile's shoulders while Pikachu lept off his.

"Pika chu!

Pikachu brought forth the punishment of his Thunder down onto the clones.

Mega Lucario took this opportunity to plow his feet into the clones, then followed up with furious blows from his fists.

Mega Lucario's success was short-lived though, as Mega Scizor snatched his paws up and held him in place.

Now at the clones mercy, Mega Lucario could only watch as Mega Blaziken opened his mouth.

"Pikachu!" the electric mouse lept up high enough to hurl another electroball just over Mega Lucario's head.

Luckily for him, when the electric-burst went off, Mega Lucario had just enough time to dive backward.

When Mega Lucario dove, he dove low enough for Mega Sceptile to dive directly over him.

"Tile!" With the clones disoriented by the sheer impact of Electroball, Mega Sceptile viciously clawed them with Dragon claw.

"Blaze!" Mega Blaziken was given breathing room when Mega Scizor pushed Mega Scizor's arms with his pincers.

"Blaze!"

Mega Sceptile's jerked himself backward when he felt the unforgiving inferno Blaziken brought forward.

Blaziken kept the fire up relentlessly until Lucario threw himself in front of his partners.

"Grouuuu!" The aura pokemon channeled his aura into two spheres that blew through the fire and into both clones.

While the attack did little damage, it did clear out Mega Blaziken's fire and gave them an opening.

"Pika chu!"

"Scep!"

"Grouuu!"

Pikachu came in with Volt Tackle while his Mega companions brought forth Close Combat and Dragon Claw.

"Ehhh! How is this possible!?" James grabbed his hair with a frantic expression.

As this happened, Felix's Mega Lucario and Cynthia's Mega Garchomp fiercely battled the other Mega clones. Much to Meowth and Jessie's chagrin, they faced similar results.

In the center, Daniel and his Charizard both glowed greenish-blue with aura. Like Ash, Daniel had synched with his Charizard's.

Mewtwo fought in a machine-like manner. He unleashed an attack either of psychic origin or of a type Charizard was weak against. Charizard had faced pokemon considered the greatest of reach region, he had even fought legendary pokemon before.

He had challenged Moltres, Articuno, Zapdos, Groudon, Roikou, and Reshiram. Each of them lived up to their title of legendary pokemon but all were defeated by him with Daniel by his side. But even so, Mewtwo's power was different. Charizard had always wanted to face the mythical Mew as well, this could be the closest he could ever come to doing it.

Charizard managed to throw back these attacks with his own power or skill. However, it was a great challenge for even him.

Despite this, Charizard pressed forward.

"Grauuuu!"

When Daniel threw his fist forward, Charizard's Dragon Pulse tore through Mewtwo's Thunder.

Mewtwo raised his offhand and held the attack in place, much to Giovanni's amusement.

However, the fire in Charizard's eyes intensified with his roar. The dragon pulse finally made contact and hurled Mewtwo back.

"What!?" Giovanni's mouth dropped.

Mewtwo got back up and saw Charizard hurdling at him.

Mewtwo held both hands out. Charizard felt psychic hit him like a wall. Fortunately for him, Charizard had smashed through many walls before.

"Grauuu!"

Charizard's claws glowed and he let loose a fury of Dragon Claw strikes. Mewtwo used one hand to try and counter them psychic power or Ice Punch but it wasn't enough. Charizard surged himself forward and crashed his metal wings across Mewtwo's body.

"Come on! What are you doing!"

Dr. Fuji felt every nerve in his body cry out in pain as he watched the clones take each attack. Mewtwo in particular, the poor creature forced to act against his will.

"Please! Just put an end to it! Stop hurting them!"

"Papa!" Dr. Fuji's body went limp and his heart slowed.

Ash and the others recognized the voice as well.

Fuji slowly turned to see none other than Amber dashing toward him.

"Papa!"

"Amber! What are you doing here!?"

Not far behind Amber was Serena and her Absol.

"Amber stop!" Serena cried out until she saw the others and the various clone tubes.

"Ehhh! Guys?!"

Ash almost ran back to Serena but knew he had to focus on the battle.

"Papa!" Amber jumped into Dr. Fuji's arms. The older man held her in a loving embrace with a tear coming down his face.

"What are you doing here!? I told you to run far away!"

Amber teared up with her father.

"I couldn't leave you papa, or the others." Amber opened her eyes and saw Mewtwo in his armor being beaten back by Charizard.

"Mewtwo! Stop!"

"Ahhh, so she came back. Better not let her slip through our grasp again." Jessie smiled as another hidden clone rushed past the others in battle.

Serena and Absol's eyes widened when they saw a Mega Gardevoir rush for Amber and her father.

Dr. Fuji quickly covered her body with his own.

"No!"

The Absolite and keystone both were still holding began to glow.

"Huh?" Serena looked at the stone again and felt Absol nudge her.

"Sol!" Serena nodded and with a look of dedication touched the keystone.

A powerful feeling of closeness between her and Absol followed. It wasn't all that different from her aura bond with Ash.

Absol felt stronger than he ever thought was possible.

When the colorful sphere around him vanished, he emerged in Mega form.

"Night Slash!"

"Sol!"

Dr. Fuji braced himself but felt nothing.

When he and Amber looked back, they saw Mega Absol standing between them and the Mega Gardevoir.

Meanwhile, Ash's team hurled back James's clones while Cynthia and Felix's did the same to Jessie and Meowth's.

Giovanni felt his stomach catch on fire, particularly when he saw Dr. Fuji, Amber and Serena begin to remove his other clones from their tubes.

"No! My money!"

Amber hugged Charmandertwo and the others as she brought them out.

Charizard's mouth opened and his tail exploded into an uncontrollable inferno.

Mewtwo felt a concussive fireball hit his chest and within moments it exploded into blast burn, engulfing him in red fire. When the smoke cleared, Mewtwo was left embedded into a wall with his armor torn up.

"What's wrong with you!"

"Mewtwo! Please stop! You're hurting him!" Amber pleaded but Dr. Fuji held her back.

Mewtwo struggled to get back up. He stared back at Charizard while the armor around him surged.

Mewtwo shook for the first time Ash and the others could see his eyes through a broken piece of the visor.

Mewtwo didn't look soulless, he looked confused and afraid.

"Do what I say!?" Giovanni began to shake now.

"He's not a machine, he's a living creature! You don't own him!" Ash cried out.

"Pika!"

"Yes, I do!" Giovanni revealed the same machinery under his sleeves only smaller.

Daniel's eyes shot to the machines and then to Mewtwo.

"Wait! Giovanni!"

The Rocket Boss activated the machines with a nearly crazed smile, however, Mewtwo only convulsed in pain.

"Come on! Mega Evolve!"

"Giovanni! Don't!" Felix sounded truly afraid now, a sentiment that sent terror through the others.

"Uhh, boss." Meowth said nervously as he raised his paw up. Jessie and James shared Meowth's sentiment.

"Shut up!" Giovanni twitched as he put more juice into his machine.

Finally, after a series of painful cries, a corrupted sphere formed around Mewtwo.

The armor burst off Mewtwo and he revealed his new form.

Mewtwo X was larger and bulkier than his normal state. The horns on his head were longer and extend from V-shaped ridges on his forehead. Additionally, the horns were now pointed and curve upward. He now had two tubes behind its neck, his eyes were light blue, and he had large, purple growths over his shoulders.

His torso was smooth and small compared to his long, bulky limbs, and a Y-shaped line connected the collar and underbelly. His forearms and thighs each had two raised ridges and his digits are now longer and thinner. His tail was slightly shorter and stiffer than before and had a curled tip

Even Daniel and his Charizard backed up when they saw Mewtwo X.

Giovanni only continued laughing.

"Yes! My ultimate weapon has reached its final form! With Mewtwo X at my command, I can do whatever I-"

Mewtwo X raised his hand at Giovanni and the crime boss was lifted up.

"Eh!? What are you?" With a flick of his wrist, Mewtwo ranked Giovanni's neck and tossed him against a wall.

The room went cold and silent. The fear in Mewtwo's eyes had turned to a feral rage, like an uncontrollable animal.

"Mewtwo." Amber shook and backed away while Dr. Fuji took her.

"Boss!" Meowth held his head.

"Let's get out of here!" All three scurried away like children, leaving behind the clone pokemon. Dr. Fuji handed Amber off two Serena before he slowly got up with his hands raised.

"Mewtwo, it's ok. Giovanni's gone, he can't hurt you anymore."

"Dr. Fuji." Cynthia tried to stop Fuji but he kept walking.

He tried to hide his fear behind compassion.

"Mewtwo it's me, your father. Your brothers and sisters are all around you. Amber's here too."

Mewtwo X shook as he stared at the other clone pokemon, all of whom appeared terrified of him. Amber, however, looked much like her father.

"Mewtwo, you know us. We played together in the Remember Place."

Ash, Daniel, and Felix all tried to reach out with aura. However, Mewtwo X growled and threw his hands out.

Dr. Fuji and everyone else were thrown back.

Mewtwo X looked up at the ceiling with a crazed expression and flew up, tearing through the building until he was above Saffron city.

Mewtwo X soared above the capital of Kanto and stared at its vastness and scope.

Suddenly his mind was mind bombarded by an ocean of voices. Mewtwo could hear the thoughts of every human and pokemon in Saffron city.

It was beyond painful. The sensation was unbearable. Many in the streets below began to curiously look up at Mewtwo.

"_What pokemon is that?"_

_"What's that thing doing?"_

_"You call this rice cooked!"_

_"You're a good friend."_

_"What time is it?"_

Mewtwo cried out in agony while holding his head. He then reached out at a few buildings and with psychic hurled pieces of debris down at everyone below.

"Look out!"

The pedestrians below and their pokemon scattered.

Ash and the others finally emerged from the building where they saw Mewtwo X's warpath.

Serena covered her mouth and moved closer to Ash in terror.

"Pika!"

The other pokemon were just as horrified.

Amber was crying again.

"Mewtwo, stop!"

Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and Meowth caught their breath in the street.

"That was close." Jessie grabbed James by the collar of his shirt.

"Close!? The boss is dead!"

James and Meowth sweatdropped.

"Ok, there's that but-"

"Freeze!"

To their lament, the three turned to see Onishima, Jenny, and Iris running at them.

"Come on!"

"My talking Meowth!" Iris dashed ahead while Meowth yelped.

"Her!"

"Don't move!" Onishima raised his pistol.

The three gave reluctant sighs.

"We have no choice." James groaned.

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light."

The police nearly dropped their mouths when they saw Jessie and James throw grenades in front of themselves. The grenades had lightning bolts on their sides and released a thunderbolt upon impact.

With the force of the blast, Jessie and James flew through the air uncontrollably.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again! This feels bad!"

Meowth frantically tried to pull the pin on his grenade but was too afraid and kept dropping it.

Iris's expression became one of pure determination.

"You will be mine!" Just as Meowth got a claw on the pin, Iris hurled her pokeball.

Meowth gave one more terrified expression before he was hit and sent inside.

"Come on, come on!" Iris impatiently waited until finally, the pokeball sparkled.

"Yes!" Iris's face turned red as she held her pokeball against it.

"I finally have my talking Meowth!"

Jenny, Onishima, and their Arcanine sweatdropped.

"…..Ok, that just happened."

Meanwhile, Mewtwo continued to tear apart pieces of buildings and throw them down at people below. He also unleashed various attacks directly at them.

Ash's group tried to clear people away while Fuji and Amber cried out to Mewtwo.

"Mewtwo, stop it!"

Ash held move some debris off a businessman while Serena helped two children up.

The hopelessness of their situation was coming more and more terrifying.

Daniel, Felix, and Cynthia all stared up at Mewtwo, then the situation around them.

Both turned to Daniel reluctantly but nodded.

With a heavy heart, Daniel touched the keystone underneath his hidden blade.

Mewtwo's feral screams grew louder and louder.

His feral eyes looked down at the mass of people below and then to a building beside them.

Mewtwo reached out to the building with psychic. The building's beams began to shake and people below cried out in terror.

However, before the building could come down, Mewtwo X felt himself struck with the force of a freight train.

Mewtwo X tumbled through the air and crashed into a building side. When he recovered, Mewtwo X looked up to see a Mega Charizard Z in front of him.

On the ground Daniel looked up at his Charizard Z, their aura synched again.

"Grauuuu!" Charizard Z and Mewtwo X clashed again.

Just like before, despite his immense power, Mewtwo X was unable to gain any ground on Charizard Z. Each of Mewtwo X's attacks was pushed away and Charizard Z delivered punishing blow after punishing blow.

Charizard Z didn't hold back either. Each strike racked Mewtwo X with immense pain but his feral mind drove him on despite this.

Amber and Dr. Fuji were beside themselves watching Charizard Z beat Mewtwo X down again and again.

"Papa, make him stop!" Amber wailed with tears streaming down her face.

"Daniel, please, he doesn't know what he's doing! I'm begging you!"

Daniel's expression remained heartbroken but firm.

"He's going to kill someone. I can't let that happen."

Ash and Serena understood this but it wasn't any easier for them to watch.

With another blast burn, Charizard Z sent Mewtwo X back down to earth where he became embedded into the plavement.

Blood trickled down his body past bruises and burn marks. Even with all of this, Mewtwo got up in defiance.

"….Charizard, make it quick." Charizard Z flew down using Draco Meteor, everyone else had scattered away to avoid the impact. All except one.

"Amber!" Dr. Fuji and Serena tried to stop her but Amber dashed in front of Mewtwo and grabbed him.

"Mewtwo please remember me! Please stop it!" Tears continued to stream down her face uncontrollably.

Mewtwo X looked down at her with the feral gaze but Amber wouldn't move.

"Mewtwo! Mewtwo!"

Finally, Mewtwo X stopped shaking. He looked at Amber with a more familiar expression.

"_Amber."_ Amber heard his soft voice through her mind and began to smile again.

"Mewtwo!" She hugged him as tight as her arms would allow.

When Mewtwo X looked up again he saw Charizard Z had stopped just above them.

Mewtwo reverted back to his normal form and nearly collapsed.

Before long, he was surrounded by not only Amber but Fuji and all of the clones.

Ash and Serena's earlier anguish was replaced by heartwarming levity.

None, however, looked more relieved then Daniel and his Charizard.

Cynthia hugged Daniel tightly while Felix gave him a proud look.

"Nicely done." Fuji was overcome with emotion and nearly lost himself in his tears.

"Dr. Fuji." Ash, Serena, Cynthia, Felix, and Daniel stood over them with all of their pokemon.

The sounds of police sirens drew closer and closer.

"Please, let me take him, let me take them all far away. We'll start a new life, please."

Each of them saw the love and devotion in not only Fuji's eyes but all of the clones.

"…..You better hurry, the police will be here soon." Felix said calmly.

Amber got up and hugged each of them, ending with Serena.

"Thank you for everything."

Serena fought back tears.

"I'm going to miss you."

By the time Onishima and the others arrived there was no one left.

"What the hell happened to that pokemon!?" Jenny shouted.

Onishima looked at the sky but saw nothing. With a deep breath, the police Lieutenant let out his angst and came to peace.

"Let him go."

Jenny looked back at him but Onishima was stalwart. The threat was over.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Ash's Dream

* * *

Ash stood beside Will and Eli as they watched Justin face off against Sage.

Justin's Mega Sceptile battled Sage's Mega Gengar.

"Solarbeam!"

"Tile!" Mega Sceptile's Solarbeam made contact with Gengar and nearly blinded the entire room with bright light.

Ash and the others had to cover their eyes for a moment but when their sight finally returned, Broly stood over his opponent.

"Gengar is unable to battle, the winner is trainer Justin!"

Justin almost staggered for a moment. His eyes were close to tears. Finally, Broly turned and picked Justin up with a crushing embrace.

"Justin! Yeah!" Eli used his hands as a makeshift megaphone while he cried out.

Ash and Pikachu similarly cheered, though Will did so with a bittersweet smile.

Justin and his Sceptile returned to the sidelines after shaking hands with Sage, who did so begrudgingly.

Eli rushed forward and grabbed Justin's shoulders.

"You did it, man! This means the next time we battle will be in the KPTL!"

Justin nodded with an all too confident smile.

"We're looking forward to it."

Justin came up to Ash and Will. He put his hand on Will's shoulder with condolence in his eyes.

"Don't sweat it. Another year of training will do me good."

Justin nodded, then turned to Ash and Pikachu.

"One slot let and one match left."

Ash and Pikachu turned to each other. Their nerves were calm and at peace.

"We're ready."

In a private box, Serena sat beside Brock and Lucy. Serena's entire team was out and in Lucy's arm was a baby girl. The infant had Brock's skin tone and hair color but Lucy's eyes.

The baby started to moan a little and her mother gently rocked her.

"Shhh, it's ok Jasmine."

"Hmp, she has everything but your eyes, isn't that what Lucy liked about you in the first place." Brock glanced back at the orange-haired girl behind him.

"I still have more charm than you."

Misty rolled her eyes.

"I just hope she has better impulse control than her dad. Otherwise auntie Misty might have to keep her in line."

"You see what Ash and I had to deal with." Brock turned to Serena.

Misty's eyes now came onto Serena and she began to carefully examine her.

"Soon, I finally get to meet the first Kanto Queen." Misty came closer with a devilish grin.

"I also hear your Ash's Queen." Serena might have been flustered by such a statement before but now she confidently smiled back.

"That's right."

"Hmp, well I'm glad someone's finally got him on a leash. After Brock and I stopped traveling with him he was a mess for years."

Brock laughed hard for split second.

"You left before I did. Besides I was the one who kept both of you on a leash when we traveled together."

Misty smiled back.

"Especially when we came across pretty women." Brock sweatdropped and looked away.

Serena giggled a little until Misty grabbed her shoulder.

"Just take care of good care of Ash. If you don't, they'll be trouble. I'm like his big sister." Misty held her head up confidently.

"Isn't he a month older than you." Lucy added.

"I said like!"

Serena continued to giggle. Misty certainly was just how Ash described her.

Serena looked around at the others in their box.

Felix, Cynthia, Daniel, and Delia were there of course. But Gou was also with them and two others.

One was a woman in her mid-thirties with spiky-green hair. The other was a large Charizard with a pink bow.

Serena had already met them both just after her own Showcase. Liza from the Charicific valley and her Charizard Charla. Ash explained that she had once helped him train his Charizard when he was still a bit rebellious and that occasionally they visited to see how Charizard was doing.

Serena smiled in a particular manner as she looked at Charla. She also remembered Ash's subtle hints that they also visited so Charla and Charizard could stay properly acquainted.

Ash had managed to make it to the final round. Eli and Justin had both earned their spots in the KPTL with and now there was one left. Ash only had to win this battle and he'd be in the KPTL.

They all who Ash would face.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We're finally here, the last match of this year's KPTL Qualifiers! We've had so many worthy trainers but only one more will move onto our region's professional league! Now presenting our final trainers, Ash and Silver!"

"You've got this baby!" Miette cried out from another box loud enough for Serena to hear her. The Kanto queen paid her no mind though. She watched Ash with her pokemon and everyone else.

Ash and Pikachu approached Silver in the center of the battlefield.

"Shake hands." The ref said.

Silver stared intensely at Ash. But Ash only smiled back.

"You of all people."

"That's right." When they shook, Ash pulled Silver close and whispered.

"I know you're secret. You're using clones." Silver did everything he could to stay calm.

"I-"

"Don't even try it. I'm not going to turn you in though." Silver's eyes widened.

Ash and Pikachu stared almost intensely into Silver's eyes with a challenge.

"We're going to prove that training and bonding with your pokemon will overcome pure strength."

Silver backed up with a slightly nervous expression.

Finally, the two trainers stared each other down while the ref came up between them.

"The battle between trainers Ash and Silver will now begin! This match will be a six on six battle. Trainers choose your pokemon!"

Silver snatched his first pokeball and hurled it forward.

"Go, Ursaring!"

The monstrous clone came out and threw his arms up.

"Grooooo!"

Ash and Pikachu stared at Ursaring for almost a minute.

Ash carefully took his first pokeball and held it to his face.

"Let's make our dream come true, I choose you, Sceptile!"

Sceptile came out in a disciplined manner.

He stood in front of Ash ready to fight.

In the private box, Grovyle blushed while staring down at him.

Sceptile looked up at her and smirked a little before winking back.

"Tile!"

"Begin!"

"Ursaring, Hammer arm!"

"Sceptile agility!" Sceptile dodged and weaved away from Ursaring's immense-strikes as a shinobi would. Sceptile's agile movements away and off Ursaring enticed the audience with more and more excitement.

However, Ursaring didn't relent. His near-endless stamina and ferocity drove Ursaring after Sceptile across the battlefield.

Ash remained vigilant and watched the fight through Sceptile's perspective. Waiting for the right opening, until.

"Leaf Blade!" Sceptile's arms glistened like a pair of drawn katanas. With a swift x-motion, he slashed up and inside Ursaring's arms, clearing the way for Sceptile to slash across the bear's torso.

"Hyper Beam!" Ursaring's glowing stomach was bright enough for Sceptile to cover his eyes.

"Sceptile move!" Despite the brightness, Sceptile could still see through Ash's eyes and swiftly flung himself over Ursaring. This leap came not a moment too soon. The thunderous beam of power almost burned Sceptile's legs.

"Iron tail!"

"Ice Punch!"

Sceptile landed on his left foot and pivoted around to bring Iron tail into Ursaring's head. The blow nearly rattled Sceptile from the solid stature of Ursaring.

Before he could recover, Sceptile felt tail get snatched by Ursaring's left paw.

Ursaring let out a terrible roar and pulled Sceptile into his ice-covered right fist.

"Tile!" Sceptile's stomach felt like it would cave in. The cloned-Ursaring's power was bad enough but the ice brought an unnerving pain to Sceptile.

Serena tightened her hold on the edge of her seats but remained calm. Grovyle was much the same.

"Come on." Felix whispered.

"Ice Punch!"

"Agility!"

Sceptile kept up his agile movements but the pain from Ice punch made this increasingly difficult.

Ash felt Sceptile's pain work against his agility and knew he couldn't keep this up forever.

"We'll have to go for broke then. Sceptile use Frenzy Plant!"

Sceptile's entire body burst into a green aura that captivated the eyes and immersed the body.

"Scep-tile!" Sceptile firmly planted his feet and threw both sets of claws toward Ursaring.

The mighty bear came down upon Sceptile but felt the ground shake.

Beneath him, a dozen monstrous roots bored through the floor and enveloped Ursaring. Ensnaring his entire body.

For a brief moment, Sceptile felt a respite. That was until he saw the clone violently snap his jaws and thrash about. Even Frenzy plant couldn't contain Ursaring indefinitely. Lucky for Sceptile, he didn't need it too.

"Low Kick!"

Sceptile aimed himself just right and leaped forward. Ursaring tore off the last of Frenzy Plant and held his arms out. With this, Sceptile's foot buried itself in Ursaring's thick stomach. Saliva and breath flew from Ursaring's mouth and he collapsed onto the ground.

"Ursaring is unable to battle!"

Serena was the first to cry out in cheer with Grovyle beside her.

"Today might finally be the day after all." Misty held onto the back of Brock's chair as she watched.

Silver took a deep breath and returned Ursaring.

"Looks like he's not going to make this easy. Alright."

"Sceptile return. I'll need you later, I choose you, Squirtle!"

"Squirtle!" The water Turtle spun himself around quickly before he landed and flexed.

"Awww, I really missed that little guy." Misty clasped her hands a little.

"You should have let me go first. Go Venusaur!" The ground shook when Ash and Squirtle beheld the mighty clone that had so easily beaten Sceptile before.

Despite this, Squirtle was still anxious to fight.

"Squirtle use Aqua Jet!"

Venusaur watched Squirtle carefully. The water-turtle used Aqua jet to speed around the massive Venusaur.

"Petal Blizzard!" Venusaur's bloom opened and from it came forth a thick storm of petals.

"Ice Punch!"

"Squirtle!" Squirtle mirrored Ash's movements. Both striking through the air while hundreds of petals flew in every direction.

Squirtle's icy fists beat back any petal that came close to him. His confidence growing with each successful strike.

"That's it, come on!" Delia moved herself further up in her seat while Felix put his hand over hers.

"Vine Whip!"

Squirtle attempted to strike but the vines came too fast. His hands and feet were easily entangled.

With an all too content gaze, Venusaur reeled Squirtle in like a fish.

"Bite!"

Squirtle's defiant expression returned and his bit down on the nearest vine with everything he had.

Once the vine was bitten enough, he did the same to the next, freeing his hands.

"Aqua Jet! Ice Punch!"

"Squirtle!" Using Aqua Jet to propel himself, Squirtle broke free of Vine Whip and plunged his icy fist into Venusaur's head.

"That's it! Again!"

Squirtle kicked off Venusaur and coated both his fists in ice.

"Frenzy Plant!"

"Saur!" Venusaur slammed both front feet into the ground and glowed as Sceptile had.

Beneath Squirtle, a dozen great roots burst up and ensnared him like a den of Arboks.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle attempted to use Ice punch on the roots but was too late. Venusaur nearly embedded his foe into the ground and finished the ensnarement.

Ash and Pikachu gave a heavy sigh. Both knew the result and could only watch as the roots retracted to reveal Squirtle unconscious.

"Squirtle is unable to battle!"

"No! Damn grass pokemon!" Serena and her Grovyle both looked at Misty with an almost irritated expression.

So much so, that Sylveon and Braixen had to restrain Grovyle.

"Squirtle return. That was masterful Squirtle, don't sweat it. Alright, I choose you, Sceptile!"

Sceptile faced down Venusaur with tenacious eyes. He remembered this Venusaur well.

Grovyle watched the match more closely again.

"Frenzy Plant!"

"Saur!" Venusaur thrust himself forward and with it came a swarm of vicious roots.

"Agility and Leaf Blade!" Sceptile dashed across the battlefield. Moving acrobatically to avoid roots when he could and cutting them apart when he had to.

Sceptile and Ash were mindful to avoid Venusaur's head as much as possible. Remembering all too well, the power of Hyper Beam.

"Iron Tail!"

"Vine Whip!"

Sceptile's dash at Venusaur was nearly by Venusaur's vines but luckily, Sceptile's blade arms were still sharp. He slashed each vine back then slid underneath Venusaur. Punishing his underside with Iron Tail.

Silver saw his Venusaur grunt in pain but stayed firm.

"Vine whip!"

"Iron tail!"

Venusaur nearly caught Sceptile's legs with his vines but Sceptile evaded just in time.

"Tile!" Sceptile rammed his metal-tail against Venusaur's lower jaw and forced it up.

However, at this moment, Ash, Pikachu, and Sceptile saw the precarious situation he was in. Sceptile was still in the air, right in front of Venusaur's face.

Silver smiled.

"Hyper Beam!"

"Saur!"

Sceptile's eyes widened and he reached out. Ash cried out with Sceptile from the burning pain of Hyperbeam.

"Vyle!" Serena clasped her hands together and tried to ease Grovyle as she watched her beloved enveloped in Hyperbeam.

Daniel and Cynthia watched particularly closely.

Despite this, Sceptile began to glow green and burst with power.

"Overgrow! This is our chance! Leaf Blade!"

With everything he had left, Sceptile lunged forward through Hyperbeam and sliced an X across Venusaur's face.

Venusaur wobbled for a moment and then collapsed onto the ground.

"Venusaur is unable to battle!"

Sceptile let out a satisfied smile and then collapsed onto his owns stomach.

"Sceptile is unable to continue!"

"Vyle!" Serena sweatdropped and tried to restrain Grovyle.

Daniel nodded.

"That is determination."

"How disappointing, return."

"Sceptile return. You really came through." Ash and Silver resumed their intense stares.

"Go Honchkrow!"

"I choose you, Staraptor!"

The two mighty birds soared overhead while circling their trainers. Staraptor gazed at the cloned Honchkrow intensely.

It wasn't the same Honchkrow he had faced in prelims. Instead, it was a greater challenge. One Staraptor was ready for.

"Staraptor use Double Team!" Honchkrow lost track of Staraptor in the flock of duplicates. Each one flying around him in another direction.

"Arial Ace!"

"Dark Pulse!"

Ash didn't give Staraptor another command, even as the duplicates were destroyed. He simply trusted him to understand what to do through their connection. At the last moment, Staraptor swerved down at an angle, just enough to avoid dark pulse.

With the attack cleared, Staraptor slashed across Honchkrow's side.

"Night Slash!" Honchkrow slashed Staraptor back before his attack could even end.

Still, even with the pain, Staraptor was able to get some distance again with Honchkrow in hot pursuit.

"Haze."

"Know." Honchkrow's beak opened a from it came a thick mist. However, rather than blow it away, Ash and Staraptor had a much better idea.

Ash took a deep breath and saw Honchkrow through his aura. Staraptor could see him aw well. Making the haze useless.

"Sky Attack!"

"Foul Play!" Honchkrow and Silver assumed they couldn't be seen and came at Staraptor.

However, instead of hitting Staraptor they only hit a copy.

"Eh!"

"Raptor!" The real Staraptor clashed into Honchkrow like a freight train and sent him tumbling down into the ground.

"Honchkrow is unable to battle!"

"That's it, Ash! Come on!" Eli and the others pressed him hard.

"Honchkrow return. How is he doing this?" Silver grit his teeth before taking out another pokeball.

"Go Feraligatr!"

Ash looked at the clone Feraligatr with particular hostility. Though not at the pokemon himself but rather Silver. The idea that he'd give up his own partner for what he saw a better model was disgusting.

"Feraligatr use Hydro Pump!"

"Double Team!"

A dozen more Staraptors flew around Feraligatr in every direction. The thunderous Hydro Pump tore through most of them. But Staraptor and two others continued at him from three directions.

"Arial Ace!"

"Ice Fang!" The cloned Feraligatr opened his jaws so wide, he was able to snatch up all three Staraptors at once.

"Eh!" Ash and Pikachu couldn't believe what they saw. Staraptor endured the frigid bite and cried out one more time.

"Staraptor is unable to battle!"

Lucy covered Jasmine's eyes after seeing the Feraligatr's jaws.

"That's terrifying."

"I think he's magnificent." Misty clasped her hands together with hearts in her eyes as she gazed at the Feraligatr.

Serena sweatdropped with the others.

"Staraptor return, you brought us one step closer. Now we'll keep driving forward. I choose you, Lucario!"

Lucario didn't perform any flair as he came out. He simply got into a practical fighting stance while Ash did the same. Serena and the others could see their eyes glow together. Within moments, the glowing aura surrounded their bodies.

"Feraligatr use HydroPump!"

Using Extreme Speed, Lucario almost flew away from the incoming jet of water.

Despite this, Feraligatr didn't stop. He continued unleashing the thunderous blast of water across the field at Lucario.

This made approaching Feraligatr far more difficult but with their combined vision, they saw an opening.

Moments before making impact, Lucario made sure to use Swords Dance.

Feraligatr's Hydro Pump few just over Lucario's head but was unable to stop him.

"Superpower!"

Feraligatr lunged forward at Lucario who jumped back. However, he wasn't safe yet.

Even with his immense size, the cloned Feraligatr moved fast enough to keep up with Lucario.

The fighting-pokemon moved acrobatically and efficiently but Feraligatr was closing the distance.

Seeing this, they decided to go on the attack.

Lucario snarled and came forward with Close Combat.

Strike after strike, Lucario pummeled Feraligatr with continuous blows. At first, Lucario was able to avoid or counter-strike Feraligatr's blows. However, Feraligatr finally snapped forward with his jaw and ensnared Lucario's paws.

Lucario's eyes widened, the fear of his situation was so great that he barely noticed the pain in his paws.

Felix and his Lucario felt their nerves tighten and their expressions grow stiff.

With Lucario held in place, Feraligatr crashed both his paws into Lucario's stomach.

"Grouuu!" Ash came close to bending over with Lucario. But Feraligatr still had his jaws around Lucario's hands.

That was his mistake.

Lucario looked back up at Feraligatr and smiled.

Feraligatr and Silver looked confused. That was until they noticed the inside of Feraligatr's mouth began to glow.

"Grouuuu!"

Two aura spheres burst apart in Feraligatr's mouth. The clone's mouth flew open with steam rising to the ceiling.

Feraligatr stumbled around for a moment but then collapsed onto his back.

"Feraligatr is unable to battle!"

"That's my boy!"

"Grouuuu!"

The audience grew more and more excited with each passing moment.

"…..My prized Feraligatr….That's it! Gyarados!"

Lucario stared down the monstrous clone and stayed in his stance.

"Flamethrower!"

Gyarados arched his head back and breathed a fiery inferno all around the battlefield.

With Extreme-speed, Lucario was able to narrowly avoid each flame burst. Though the intensity of the fire began to wear down on Lucario.

"Aura sphere!"

Lucario held both hands out and blasted an enlarged sphere through flamethrower.

Silver smiled and revealed two familiar devices on his arms.

Ash's eyes widened when he and Lucario finally saw a gem shine from Gyarados's forehead.

After a few moments of being surrounded by a colorful sphere, the cloned Gyarados finished his mega evolution.

"Ahhhhhh!" Misty fell over in excitement.

"Fire Blast!"

Gyarados's renewed fire-attack now had the power to overtake Aura Sphere.

Lucario tried to move away and Ash tried to mega evolve him but the Fire Blast came too fast.

Lucario was enveloped in fiery punishment.

Ash's bursting aura faded and he gasped for breath.

Lucario was now on the ground covered in burn marks.

"Lucario is unable to battle!"

"Hmp, finally." Silver nodded with satisfaction.

Felix's Lucario took a deep breath before Felix touched his shoulder.

"Lucario return. I'm very proud of you."

Ash turned to Pikachu with a confident smile.

"Are you ready?"

"Pika!"

Pikachu lept down and sparked his cheeks. He showed no fear despite being in the presence of a Mega Gyarados.

"Thunder!"

"Pika chu!"

Mega Gyarados looked up at the immense bolt of lightning forming above him.

He was far too large to dodge it but Silver knew this.

"Thunder!"

A second bolt of electricity charged up in Mega Gyarados's mouth and clashed with Pikachu's Thunder. The collision caused a thick black cloud between Pikachu and Mega Gyarados but it didn't last long.

"Flamethrower!"

"Agility!"

Mega Gyarados turned the battlefield into a plain of fire.

Pikachu began to sweat from the overwhelming nature of the fire.

Even running became difficult as the ground now burned Pikachu's paws.

"Fire Blast!"

"Grooooooo!" Mega Gyarados threw his head back again and again. With each go, another symbol blast of fire ripped across the battlefield.

Pikachu could hardly move without being burned. He and Ash almost found it funny how much fire was coming from a water-type.

Mega Gyarados kept up the pressure to give Pikachu no openings.

Ash grit his teeth until he heard Pikachu's will through their aura connection.

"Are you sure?"

"Pika!"

Ash tightened his fist but threw his hand out.

"Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu brought forth his inner electricity and coated it over his entire body.

Taking a deep breath, Pikachu charged through the fire blast and crashed into Mega Gyarados.

"Chu!"

Mega Gyarados shook and convulsed uncontrollably. Pikachu poured every bit of electricity he could muster into the Mega Gyarados until finally he reverted back to his normal form and collapsed.

"Gyarados is unable to battle!"

Silver almost trembled. He was down to his last pokemon.

"Pikachu, that's enough, come back."

"Pika."

Pikachu carefully climbed back onto Ash's shoulder and laid down.

"I choose you, Charizard!"

Charizard soared out and shook the ground when he landed.

Charla's muscly tail began to wag a little when she saw Charizard finally come out.

"I can't believe I needed to use him. But I'm not losing here." Ash saw a purple pokeball with an M inscribed on it in Silver's hand.

"Go, Suicune!"

The audience nearly went silent when they saw the legendary pokemon come out.

"No way!" Eli and Will nearly fell over while Justin's mouth dropped.

"Suicune!" Liza covered her mouth while Misty's nose steamed.

"Suicune, it's like a dream."

Felix, Daniel, and Cynthia stared closely.

"Suicunetwo…..He has it?!"

Even in the face of this legendary pokemon, Serena's face remained just as determined for Ash.

On the battlefield, Ash and Charizard glanced back at each other. Charizard looked up at his beloved Charla in the audience.

Her warm and passionate gaze made Charizard stand in a more intimidating manner against Suicune.

"Alright, this is it. One more, let's go for broke!" Ash touched the keystone on his bracer and summoned forth his aura.

"Grauuuu!" From the colorful sphere emerged Charizard Z.

"Grauuu!" Liza nearly fell back in her seat when she saw Mega Charizard Z.

"I've never seen a Mega Charizard like that! Damn it, Ash, you've been holding out on us."

Serena and her pokemon chuckled when they saw Charla's enthusiastic expression.

"Suicune use Blizzard!"

"Flamethrower!"

Charizard Z breathed a green inferno before him that cleared a path through the frigid storm. Charizard Z's tail flame grew larger to help keep the rest of his body safe as well.

Suicune's blizzard was enough to make the entire chamber shiver.

"Dragon claw!" Charizard Z soared down but Suicune dashed away like he was a spirit and appeared on the other side of the battlefield.

"Rain Dance."

Suicune looked up a the ceiling and within moments Charizard Z felt raindrops splash across his body.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

Charizard Z flew closer to Suicune while their attacks collided. Despite his best efforts, with Rain Dance, Charizard's Dragon Pulse was beaten back again and again and he was forced to avoid Hydro Pump.

"Air Slash!"

Charizard Z flew down again but just like before, Suicune dashed away. This time, however, he appeared directly behind Charizard Z.

"Extrasensory!" Suicune's eyes glowed red and Charizard Z felt himself held in place by the psychic power.

Silver smiled with true excitement for the first time.

"Sheer Cold!"

Ash and Pikachu felt their breaths grow heavy.

Charizard Z violently thrashed against Extrasensory but to no avail.

Suicune opened his mouth.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Grauuuuu!" Charizard Z roared with aura bursting around his body. He flew at Suicune who once again lept up but this time, Charizard was ready.

"Dragon Pulse!" Suicune's underside was filled with pure dragon energy that sent him flying into the air.

"Seismic Toss!"

Charizard Z flew up with the speed of the wind and snatched Suicune.

The world almost slowed around both trainers as they watched Charizard Z perform three circles and then hurl Suicune towards the ground.

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Grauuuu!" Charizard Z let out one final pulse into Suicune, nailing him into the ground like a hammer.

When the dust cleared, Suicune was belly up and unconscious.

"Suicune is unable to battle, the winner is trainer Ash Ketchum!"

Ash went still, more still then he had at prelims. Pikachu nudged against Ash's face more than once to snap him back to reality.

"Pika! Pikachu!"

"We did it, we won…."

Will, Eli, and Justin all embraced each other while screaming.

Delia almost stumbled out of her chair and did the same with Serena.

Charla let out a high pitched roar of devotion.

Gou and his own pokemon threw their arms up with Misty.

Brock and Lucy came closer to each other.

Felix simply sat back with a smile.

"Well, you were right about him." Daniel and Cynthia watched closer.

Charizard flew into Ash after reverting back to his normal form. Charizard pinned Ash down before being joined by Ash's other pokemon.

All of them swarming over Ash with loving passion.

Silver had lost his breath and shuttered.

Ash and his pokemon stood in the chamber's center. With them were Eli, Justin, and their teams.

Daniel, Cynthia, and Malcolm stood before the trainers.

"We've seen over a dozen top tier trainers today. These three have proven to be the best among them! It's been my honor to have them train at this facility! Now we have the privilege of inducting them into the Kanto Professional Trainer League!"

Malcolm came before Eli, Cynthia came before Justin and Daniel came before Ash.

Daniel smiled at Ash the same way Felix did.

"Ash, welcome to the professionals. I look forward to seeing what you do next."

Daniel handed Ash a golden badge. One in the shape of the KPTL's symbol. Inscribed on the bark were the words.

"Ash Ketchum, official KPTL member."

Ash began to tear up. Pikachu and the others did the same.

Each of them stared at the badge as they had never stared at one before.

It had finally come, their dream was realized.

* * *

Elsewhere, Silver and Miette sat at an airport gate with suitcases between them.

Miette held Silver's hand and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I can't wait to see Hearthome city." Silver slowly nodded while looking at a TV screen.

"Major arrests today as two more executives of the infamous Team Rocket were arrested."

Silver smirked and sat back.

"You sure everything's going to be alright?" Miette cautiously looked over at Silver before he kissed her cheek.

"Don't worry, not all of the companies my father owned were shell companies. Over half were legitimate and major sources of his income. No illegal activity, they can't be shut down, and thanks to some well-placed maneuvering, they're all mine now." Miette blushed again.

"Let's forget about our troubles. First, we enjoy Sinnoh, then we spend some time in your home."

The two got up with their luggage and boarded the plane.

* * *

Epilogue

Serena rested in a large bed on her side. Serena's stomach was swollen up large just as Lucy's had been years prior.

Serena was now twenty-eight years old and looked around her bedroom. She looked past a series of framed pictures on a dresser.

Several of the pictures were of Serena and her team at performing around Kanto. Other pictures showed her and Ash wearing at their wedding. Their friends and family around them. Another showed Ash with Gary Oak, Koga and Eli all standing around the current Kanto Champion, Red.

Finally, the next few pictures showed them with a boy. One with Ash's skin tone, hair, and Serena's eyes.

Resting with Serena was her Absol who laid out at the foot of their bed.

Suddenly, Serena's attention turned to the hallway where she saw the boy in her pictures. He ran with a small Charmander beside him, laughing while they did so.

"Jason, come on you're going to wake up mommy." Ash and Pikachu caught up with the boy and picked him up.

"It's alright Ash, I'm already up." Serena spoke softly with a smile.

Ash carried their son inside and sat down beside Serena.

"Mommy, you have to see Charmander and me battle, we're getting really good."

"Char!" Serena stroked Jason's face slowly.

"I wish I could but your baby sister is making mommy very tired right now."

"When is she going to be here?"

"Just one more month." Ash smiled down at Serena.

"Jason, why don't you and Charmander keep practicing. I'll be out later, I want to talk with mommy for a bit."

"Ok, daddy." Jason and his Charmander ran outside to a large enclosure. There the rest of Ash and Serena's pokemon spread out.

Ash glanced out the window at their home in the Seafoam Islands. Jason and Charmander were watched closely by Charizard and Charla while practicing their battling. Also nearby were two Sceptiles with a Grovyle and Sylveon with a yellow-furred Eevee.

"Seeing him is like going back in time to you when we first met." Serena giggled before Ash laid down behind her. Ash wrapped his arms around Serena's pregnant stomach and kissed her cheek while Pikachu laid down above their heads.

"How'd your meeting with the other Elite Four members go?"

"You know Gary, talking a big game about supplanting Red again. Still waiting for him to challenge Red though."

Serena giggled.

"I can't wait to see our little girl and to perform again."

Ash stroked her stomach.

"She'll love to see you perform too." Serena almost blushed.

"I hope I can teach her to love it like I do."

"Serena, what if she wants to be a Rhyhorn racer." Pikachu and Absol both did their best to keep a straight face.

"Ash! I'm not my mother!" Serena protested before Ash planted a passionate kiss on her lips.

Serena kissed Ash back and rubbed her stomach with him.

Serena thought back to them as children walking back to summer camp. The first boy she ever had a crush on, now here they were.

Serena cherished this moment as she knew her life was what she always wanted it to be. Ash felt the same way.

So many years ago, he had started his journey with a dream, now it had turned out greater than he ever could have imagined.

* * *

_Author's note_

_And thus it comes to an end_

_I hope you guys enjoyed the story,_

_I'm afraid this will be my last pokemon fic and my last fic for a while, I have grad school starting in January and that will take up a lot of time, I also want to get some serious work done on my original novel before then_

_If I feel like it, I may (may) make a 5 or so chapter Lion Guard story but only if you guys really want to see it._

_So until next time,_

_Please review, comment, suggest or ask(VIA PM)_


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